
Copyrights 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT; 



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HOW TO 
ADVERTISE PRINTING 



By 

Harry M. Basford 




New York 
Oswald Publishing Company 

1915 



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Copyright, 1915, by the 
Oswald Publishing Company 



OSWALD PRESS -NEW YORK 

JUN 12 1815 

©CI.A401392 



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CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I. Advertising to Sell Printing , 1 

II. Newspaper and Magazine Advertising ... 10 

III. House-Organ Advertising for Printers ... 21 

IV. Advertising for Mail Orders 31 

V. Form Letters for Printers 40 

VI. Society Printing and Engraving 48 

VII. The Printer's Imprint 51 

VIII. Advertising Value of the Office 64 

IX. Blotters and Novelty Advertising . . . . 71 

X. Programs, Billboards and Other Mediums . . 79 

XI. Advertising the Cost System 84 

XII. Developing Opportunities 91 

XIII. Informing the Public 100 



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IF A KNOWLEDGE OF COSTS IS A FIRST STEP, 

MORE ADVERTISING AND BETTER METHODS CAN 

WELL BE A SECOND STEP 



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AUTHOR'S PREFACE 

he most interesting preface of a book that I 
ever read is that in the front of "Eccentrici- 
ties of Genius," written by my friend, the 
late Major J. B. Pond, of New York. After 
stating that he had three thousand volumes 
in his library, but that none of the prefaces 
suited him, he proceeded to take extracts from a half-dozen 
or more of these books, using those paragraphs, all more or 
less suitable, as the preface of his own book, telling of his 
association with great men and women. 

I could hardly follow such a course in the preface of 
this volume, however, because it is, in a sense, a pioneer 
in the field of books. Nothing like it has ever been writ- 
ten, to my knowledge. There are books devoted to the 
advertising of some other lines of trade, but none dealing 
particularly with the advertising of the printer. For that 
reason I can hardly claim that my work "fills a long- felt 
want," and we do not have many long-felt wants of any 
kind in this progressive age. Wants are not felt very long 
before they are filled, and many needs are even antici- 
pated before the public really knows that it has them. 
My work need not be the less acceptable for this rea- 



PREFACE 



son, however. There is a growing interest in their own 
advertising on the part of the enterprising master print- 
ers of this country, and it is this interest which has led 
to the publication of this book. The publication of much 
of the matter contained herein in The American Printer 
awakened the trade to a realization of the special oppor- 
tunities which they have before them for increasing sales 
by advertising, and the spirit in which these articles have 
been received indicates that a work containing practical 
suggestions, with ready-made copy and its use and appli- 
cation clearly shown, should appeal to printing houses that 
are aggressive in other lines as well as their advertising. 

It has been said that if an accurate knowledge of costs 
is the first step in the reformation of the printing busi- 
ness, more advertising and better methods can well be 
the second step. 

This, then, is the purpose of this book: to place before 
the heads of printing plants — the managers, the adver- 
tising and sales heads — a comprehensive view of the op- 
portunities that are present for advertising the product — 
printing; and to show in a practical way how to go about 
the matter of planning and carrying out this advertising. 
Much of the suggested advertising copy is ready to use, 
either in whole or in part. Other copy can be adapted to 
use by slight changes. My main idea has been to make 
the principles of successful advertising for printers plain 
and of real everyday use. Practice as well as theory is 
represented in these pages, and the experience of many 
others as well as myself has been drawn on to make the 
work of the greatest practical value. 

Harry M. Basford. 



HOW TO ADVERTISE PRINTING 



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IT IS OF FIRST IMPORTANCE TO ADOPT AN 
ADVERTISING POLICY AND SYSTEMATICALLY 
TO PLAN A CAMPAIGN 






I. 

ADVERTISING TO SELL PRINTING 



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n considering the preparation of a series 
of practical articles on advertising for the 
printing trade, I was struck with the lack 
of information in the form of books on this 
subject which are available to the trade. 
Printers' advertising has been neglected 
by writers on advertising subjects, and there are few if any 
books dealing with the problems of the profitable spending 
of money for publicity. One of the leading books on adver- 
tising deals with the advertising of thirty-nine different 
trades and businesses and devotes considerable space to 
telling advertisers technical points of printing; but there 
are no pages for the benefit and help of the printer who 
wants to do some advertising himself. As further illustra- 
ting the little attention that is given to the advertising of 
printing, let me cite a really valuable article which was 
published on the subject in a leading advertising jour- 
nal. Being unusual, this article was considered notable 
enough to be republished in one of the printing trade jour- 
nals. It was exceptionable for an advertising trade paper 
to devote space to printers' advertising. Even at national 

[ i ] 



A DEFINITE ADVERTISING POLICY 



conventions of the leading printing trade organizations 
there has often been no place on the programs for the 
discussion of advertising. 

It may be that the printer is generally considered as 
already knowing all about advertising ; but my study of 
the subject has shown me that he does not, tho he is glad 
to learn. Every employing printer knows something of 
advertising display; truly, but in many cases he knows 
more about producing good advertising for his customers 
in other lines than he does about turning out some profit- 
bringing publicity for himself. 

I, therefore, found little precedent to guide me in pre- 
paring the matter for a series of articles on good 
advertising for the printing trade. I must largely pioneer 
the way, treating the subject in a manner that seems 
best suited to be helpful to ambitious printers who 
want to do more business and who rightly believe that 
the proper kind of advertising may be made an import- 
ant factor in accomplishing this result. While there must 
necessarily be frequent reference to the principles and 
theory of advertising, it is my intention to make this 
series of a practical nature, with many examples showing 
how certain things have been done or may be done in- 
stead of merely stating a fact or an opinion and leaving 
it to the reader to work out all the details. 

Value of a Definite Advertising Policy 

In deciding to advertise or in making advertising 
changes (for every printer does some advertising), it is of 
first importance to adopt an advertising policy and to sys- 
tematically plan a campaign involving the expenditure 



THE VALUE OF ADVERTISING TO THE PRINTER 6 

of a certain amount of money and covering a period of 
time of at least several months. Many advertisers spend 
money because of a momentary inclination to invest in a 
certain kind of publicity ; but results do not justify the 
rosy claims of the solicitor and disappointments of this 
kind can be largely avoided by deliberately planning a 
campaign along lines which seem to promise the best re- 
sults and then adhering closely to this plan. 

Advertising is just as important to a printer as any 
other part of his business: the selling end, the producing 
departments or even the cost-finding system. It is also 
as important a force at his command as it is for merchants 
and business men in other lines of business. The mail 
order dealer makes perhaps the fullest use of advertising, 
because the success of his business depends entirely upon 
the advertising. And a printer is too apt to overlook the 
powerful influence of printed advertising for success be- 
cause he sees orders coming to him from regular custom- 
ers without advertising. Business comes to the printer 
thru reputation or prestige, but both of these things are 
built up and fostered by advertising. The printer who 
enjoys a good trade, but who cannot see the necessity for 
expending time and money in systematic advertising, 
may see his business and his prestige of being the lead- 
ing printer in town leaving him together, largely because 
some more energetic and ambitious competitor has con- 
ducted an aggressive advertising campaign and can back 
up his forceful advertising with a product and service that 
are as good and satisfactory as he says they are. 

An advertising policy should compass the amount of 
money to be spent during a given time; the kind of 



4 TRUTH THE BACKBONE OF PUBLICITY 

advertising to be done ; the departments or kinds of work 
that are to be advertised and the prospective buyers that 
it is desired to reach. A proper consideration of each of 
these things should result in the outlining of a plan de- 
signed to produce the greatest possible results at as eco- 
nomical an outlay as possible. Time spent in preparing 
the advertisements should not be curtailed, however, be- 
cause the success of any advertising depends first of all 
upon the matter that is put into the advertisements, and 
carelessly, hastily written advertising is one of the prin- 
cipal faults of the printers' publicity in this country. 

In printers' advertising as well as that of all other 
legitimate lines of trade, truth should be the back bone 
of all the publicity. It is not honorable, nor creditable, 
nor is it necessary to advertise untruthfully, and the efforts 
of our leading advertising workers for truthful advertising 
should have the support of advertising printers. Mislead- 
ing exaggeration and soliciting certain kinds of printing 
when the printer is not able to deliver the quality of 
work expected is not good advertising, and it is much bet- 
ter to present as impressively as possible the service that 
can be satisfactorily carried out. 

A new campaign of advertising may be slow in show- 
ing results, and persistency is required; but if the right 
principles that make for success in other advertising are 
adhered to, the printer may receive as great benefits from 
his expenditure for publicity as any other advertisers. 

How, When and Where to Advertise 

It is important to know how, when and where to ad- 
vertise; and as suggestive of the best way to solve these 



HOW, WHEN AND WHERE TO ADVERTISE O 

problems, as each printer must solve them for himself, 
there are certain things to be considered. 

First, being a producer of printed advertising, a printer 
should be a liberal user of his own work in the form of 
folders, cards, form letters, booklets, etc., which he can 
print in his own plant. Aside from this printed adver- 
tising, the local papers are often suitable for advertising 
for local business; a house-organ is an excellent means 
of reaching patrons and prospective buyers ; calendars, 
envelop enclosures and package slips may often be used 
to advantage; magazines and publications of general cir- 
culation may be used to secure mail orders, and other 
mediums may be carefully weighed from the standpoints 
of clientele reached and comparative cost. The fullest - 
use should also be made of the imprint. 

The best time to advertise has been said to be All 
the time," and to a great extent this is the right time 
for the advertising printer; but there are seasons when 
certain advertising will bring better results than at others. 
Much printing being for advertising purposes, it is well to 
consider this in the preparation of copy so as to pre- 
sent the idea of buying printed advertising at the time 
when the particular kind of work advertised is naturally 
wanted. 

The place to advertise that is the territory, should 
ordinarily be that which can be best served by the plant 
advertising. In direct advertising by mail it is of prime 
importance that the mailing list be composed of persons 
who may reasonably be supposed to be prospective buy- 
ers, and printers* publicity should be directed as nearly 
as possible in the preparation of copy, selection of medi- 



GOOD ADVERTISING COPY ESSENTIAL 

urns, etc.,. to that part of the people whose business is 
particularly desired. 

The amount which can profitably be spent for adver- 
tising is dependent upon many things : the available cap- 
ital, the size of the plant, its location, etc. Five per cent 
of the gross business done would not seem to be too much 
to invest in advertising, if the work is well done, and 
much more might be profitably spent. The appropriation 
should be apportioned in advance to the various purposes 
and the mediums selected. Money spent foolishly for ad- 
vertising, or in forms of advertising which are not ex- 
pected to bring returns, should not be included in the 
appropriation, and such amounts would be better charged 
to charity, vanity, pride or any other real or imaginary 
account representing the real reason for the expense. 

Where a plant has a number of departments or is doing 
a wide variety of work, it is probably a good plan to take 
up one department or one kind of printing, then another 
and so on thru the plant, not necessarily in rotation, but 
handling each department or line of work by itself, so as 
to reach the most people likely to be interested in each. 

Good copy is essential to any advertising, and, if the 
head of the printing house does not feel inclined to write 
the copy himself, or if he has no one among his em- 
ployees to whom he can delegate the work, it may be 
advisable to call on an advertising agency or a free lance 
ad-writer. And in this connection I wish to say that 
money paid for good advertising copy is exceptionally 
well spent, for the success of a single advertisement or 
of a campaign hinges upon the copy more, perhaps, 
than upon any other one thing. An advertising agency 




1 Zm tbz printing Press 

I am the printing pres3, born of the mother 
earth. My heart is of steel, my limbs are of iron, 
and my fingers are of brass. 

I sing the songs of the world, the oratories of 
history, the symphonies of all time. 

I am the voice of to-day, the herald of tomor- 
row. I weave into the warp of the past, the woof 
of the future. I tell the stories of peace and war 
alike. 

I make the human heart beat with passion or 
tenderness. I stir the pulse of aations, and make 
brave men do braver deeds, and soldiers die. 

I inspire the midnight toiler, weary at his 
loom, to lift his head again and gaze with fear- 
lessness into the vast beyond, seeking the conso- 
lation of a hope eternal. 

When I speak, a myriad people listen to my 
voice. The Anglo-Saxon, the Celt, the Hun, the 
Slav, the Hindu, all comprehend me. 

I am the tireless clarion of the news. I cry 
your joys and sorrows every hour. 1 fill the dull- 
ard's mind with thoughts uplifting. I am light, 
knowledge and power. I epitomize the conquests 
of mind over matter. 

I am the record of all things mankind has 
achieved. My offspring comes to you in the 
candle's glow, amid the dim lamps of poverty, the 
splendor of riches; at sunrise, at high noon, and 
in the waning evening. 

I am the laughter and tears of the world, and 
I shall never die until all things return to the 
immutable dust. 

I am the printing press. 



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The above beautiful appreciation of the power of the press is taken from the publicity 
of one of the leading manufacturers of presses. It is an earnest endeavor to impress upon 
the swift-living Americans the importance of the printing press to our modern civilization. 

But, now-a-ilays, literature and business are so closely associated that we must make 
an application of the above sentiments to things near at home. 

The printing industry is one of the largest in Colorado; thousands of men earn their 
living through the medium of the printing press. And you who believe in home industries 
(and who does not?) will be both consistent and loyal il you will remember that Colorado 
printing builds up Colorado and the West. When a big house like The W. H. Kistler 
Stationery Co. does your printing, you are helping to build up the West, where you live and 
where you work. And our product is as good as you can secure anywhere. 

Think this over and write us about your printing needs We give correspondence of 
this kind the most careful and intelligent attention. 

THE W. H. KISTLER STATIONERY CO.. Denver 



Page from a printer's house-organ, in which Robert H. Davis's 
masterpiece, "I Am the Printing Press," is reprinted and applied 



AN ADVERTISING CLASSIC 



will also be found ready and able to give good advice re- 
garding campaigns and in selecting mediums where a 
number of newspapers or magazines are to be used. In 
the case of the printer who is also a publisher, it might 
be quite a novelty to have business relations with an 
agency other than in handling the advertising of others 
thru the agency. 

An Advertising Classic 

The article, ' I Am the Printing Press," is perhaps the 
finest thing that was ever written to exploit the machine 
which makes printing possible. It was originally written 
by Robert H. Davis, editor-in-chief of the Munsey Mag- 
azines, for R. Hoe & Co. , and has been widely copied and 
used by printers in their advertising. The accompanying 
reproduction shows how one printing house made the 
application in its house-organ. 

Examples of Advertising Copy 

As examples of some of the advertising copy to be pre- 
sented in these articles, the following paragraphs are 
offered, with the suggestion that they can be used in ad- 
vertising in newspapers, folders, house publications and 
in many other ways: 

DID you ever hear of a business man recommending the work 
of his printer? Perhaps so, but very likely your own and your 
friends' opinions of printers in general have been quite the 
opposite. Good printers are scarce, but at the risk of seeming 
egotistical we want to tell you that our customers are our 
friends and they are good boosters for our business. Wouldn't it 
be worth your while to try a printing house like this? 



EXAMPLES OF ADVERTISING COPY 9 

IS YOUR printing bill fifty dollars or five hundred dollars a 
month? We handle the orders of both large and small buyers 
and we want to show you why we think we should be your 
printers. If there was not a good reason we would not waste the 
cost of this advertisement. 

WE DON'T advertise for rush orders, but when you have 
an order of printing that is really urgent, we can com- 
plete it for you on time — just when you want it, because our 
organization is trained to work without waste effort. Our promise 
to deliver is an obligation that means delivery on time. We 
don't often have to make excuses for delay. 

THE customer is boss with us. We do as you say and you can 
have anything you want by asking for it. Our one and only 
requirement is that you allow us to make a price that will permit 
us a moderate profit on the work we do for you. 

THE cost of printing is largely represented by the value of 
men's time, and our systematic method of handling work 
saves time and makes just prices. We keep an accurate record of 
the work of every man every minute of the day and our printing 
costs you the exact value of the time and material required, 
neither more nor less. 

t( SALESMANSHIP on Paper'" is one of the best and most 
O economical methods of selling that you can employ. Are 
you working it to the fullest limit? Even if you have the finest 
corps of city or traveling salesmen, you can make their work 
more productive by adding printed advertising to your selling 
forces. Let us show you how to do this. 



ALL PRINTERS ADVERTISING COPY SHOULD BE 

PLAIN, STRAIGHTFORWARD, HONEST BUSINESS 

TALK, WITH PERTINENT SUGGESTIONS 



II. 

NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ADVERTISING 



B 



oth newspapers and magazines should prove 
good advertising mediums for printers in 
connection with printed advertising which 
can be produced in their own plants. As a 
general classification, there are city news- 
papers and country newspapers, monthly or 
weekly magazines, farm and mail-order papers and local 
magazines. The printer, whose appropriation for space is 
often limited, must use good business judgment in select- 
ing those publications most likely to prove profitable to 
him, and if he does not feel competent to judge of the 
relative value of different papers, the advice of an adver- 
tising agency or competent free-lance advertising man 
would be valuable. Generally speaking, the recognized 
leading daily and Sunday papers in the large cities should 
be good mediums for the printer with a plant of fair size. 
In the country the small dailies do not usually circulate 
much beyond the confines of the town where they are 
published. The weeklies are read by the farmers. 

A job printer in a small town would naturally not care 
to advertise in a local paper which also operates a job 

[10] 



SELECTING THE ADVERTISING MEDIUM 11 

department, and for him there are other methods of reach- 
ing the buyers in his territory, such as folders, form let- 
ters, booklets, etc. The magazines of national circulation 
would not be useful in soliciting local orders, and are 
valuable only in selling printed specialties by mail, or in 
marketing some kind of printing which might be ordered 
from all parts of the country. The same value attaches to 
the agricultural and mail order papers. The local maga- 
zines, such as college, school, club and society publica- 
tions are sometimes good mediums for a printer in reach- 
ing out for local business. 

As a general principle, a good medium is one which is 
known to circulate generally among the class of people 
it is desired to reach, and whose rates are not prohibitive, 
considering the inquiries or orders they will bring. In 
contracting for newspaper or magazine space better rates 
can usually be secured on a contract running a stated 
length of time, and where an advertising campaign is 
well laid out a considerable saving can be made by agree- 
ing to use a stated amount of space within a certain time. 
If an advertisement is to be placed in a number of pub- 
lications outside of the printer's own city the services of 
an advertising agency will be useful, as customarily they 
will place the advertising at the same rates charged by 
the publishers, and will attend to all details of checking, 
correspondence, etc., at no charge to the advertiser. 

Many printers who wish to advertise thru newspapers 
or magazines find themselves in trouble as soon as they 
commence to get the copy ready for an advertisement. 
They don't know what to advertise or what to say, but 
there are many things about printing which can be 



12 WRITING THE ADVERTISEMENT 

presented in interesting form to the public — always bear- 
ing in mind that the thing advertised should be a kind of 
printing or a line of work which is likely to be used by 
readers of the paper in which the advertisement appears. 
As suggested subjects for advertisements, some of the fol- 
lowing might be exploited in a way that would make 
good reading and should really produce results: I'm a 
Letterhead Specialist," Printed Advertising With a 
Punch," "Why Not Advertise by the Direct Route?" 
"Why Some Advertising Doesn't Pay," Who Is Your 
Printer?— Try Us," "Let Us Talk to You About Your 
Fall Catalog," "Scientific Prices With the Cost-Finding 
System," etc. Any one of these topics should suggest 
arguments and points that will not only interest, but 
will also convince the readers. 

In sending advertising copy to publishers, it is often 
advisable for the printer to lay out his own advertise- 
ment and have it set with the display which he wants, 
in his own plant, so that he can then send proofs to the 
papers or have electrotypes made, in which case there 
would be the rather odd condition of an advertiser actu- 
ally showing a sample of his own work in a newspaper 
advertisement printed and published in another plant. 

A point which should always be considered in prepar- 
ing a newspaper advertisement is to make the advertise- 
ment of real, readable interest. One way to do this is to 
select some particular phase of printing, or a certain kind 
of work, and talk intelligently about this, always remem- 
bering that the advertisement must be written to appeal 
to the reader's point of view. 

In all publication advertising there are six principal 



STRAIGHTFORWARD BUSINESS TALK 



13 



things to consider. They are the medium, the subject, 
the size, the copy, the display and the position. The 
comparative value of different mediums has already been 
considered, also subject matter for advertising. The size 
of an advertisement should be dependent upon the 
amount and importance of the matter in the advertise- 
ment. It is not a good plan to confine an advertising 
story to a certain fixed space, and it is much better to 
make the advertisement large or small, as needed. 

All printers' advertising copy should be plain, straight- 
forward, honest business talk — the news of the plant, 
with pertinent suggestions by which the reader may 
make use of equipment or facilities. Display is the way 
in which the copy is presented, and it is one part of ad- 
vertising in which the printer should be most compe- 
tent to do good work. The position of an advertisement 
in any paper is important. If an advertisement is run at 
top of column next to reading matter, it always has a 
better chance of being read. It is a question, however, 
whether these preferred positions are worth twenty-five 
per cent extra, as is often charged; and if the advertising 
printer can secure the co-operation of the publisher to 
the extent that he will agree to give a good position on 
request this arrangement is an excellent one. 

Illustrations, borders and ornaments can often be used 
with good effect. They make an advertisement attrac- 
tive. Anything in the way of display that makes an ad- 
vertisement look different from other advertisements on 
the page is good display, and striking effects thru the 
use of white space are often better than any other 
arrangement. 



14 USING HIS OWN PAPER 

To make a success of newspaper or magazine adverti- 
sing for printing, it is only necessary to follow the prin- 
ciples and to devote the same attention to the subject 
that other advertisers are doing in many lines of trade. 

The Printer-Publisher Should Use His Own Paper 

The job department of a printing plant publishing a 
daily or weekly paper or any other kind of publication, 
should be constantly advertised in the publications con- 
trolled. If the space is good enough to sell to other ad- 
vertisers it should certainly be valuable enough to use in 
advertising another department of the business, consid- 
ering all the advantages that the printer-publisher has 
over any other advertiser. 

Display advertisements should be preferable to readers 
and the copy should be frequently changed, if not each 
issue. Too little attention is given to the opportunities 
that printers have in advertising in their own papers. I 
have often seen the job department advertising treated 
merely as a filler to be run when there was nothing else 
at hand to fill a certain space. An advertisement of this 
kind is usually hastily written in as few words as possi- 
ble and hurriedly thrown together by the compositor, who 
may receive the copy at the last moment before press 
time. Such a system is all wrong and naturally leads the 
publisher to belittle the value of his space in his own 
mind. These advertisements usually read something like 
this: "Send us your orders for job printing and they will 
have our prompt attention. The Tribune, Bingtown, 
Ohio." This copy would be set in large type, all the 
same size, and might occupy (it could not fill) any sized 



INTERESTING COPY CAN BE WRITTEN 15 

space from six inches double column to three full col- 
umns. This is not advertising as we are coming to know 
the science. It is worth next to nothing, and any real 
advertiser who sees a frequent repetition of such an ex- 
hibition is bound to lose faith in the paper permitting 
such a grossly careless misuse of space. 

Some very interesting copy can be written about the 
job printing department of the average country news- 
paper. The purchase of new equipment can be told of, 
the cost-finding system can be advertised if there is one, 
nationally advertised brands of paper can be offered printed 
up into letterheads and other forms, and various kinds of 
printing that can be consistently produced may be adver- 
tised as well in the country paper as in any other way, 
and at the smallest possible cost. The copy for these ad- 
vertisements should be written with the thought in mind 
of the people who are to read them. Their point of view 
is the one which must be reached if the advertising is to 
be successful. The printer-publisher is usually very famil- 
iar with the class of people reading his paper; he knows 
many of them personally and he ought to know what 
their printing needs are and what they know or think 
they know about job printing. Close information like this 
is often denied, by force of circumstances, to the profes- 
sional ad-writer; but if the ordinary advertising man who 
makes copy writing his business w T ere allowed to write 
some of the advertising for the job departments of coun- 
try papers, or city papers either, he would create a sen- 
sation in the communities where these papers are pub- 
lished and he would materially increase the sales of their 
job printing departments also. 



16 STOCK COPY FOR ADVERTISEMENTS 

I have been a country newspaper publisher and I know 
that a man in this position must be a paragon of all around 
knowledge and a demon for work to make a success. He 
has little time to write advertising copy for his job de- 
partment ; but I believe it would pay even the busiest 
publisher to take the time to himself, or get some com- 
petent person, to write some really good advertising copy 
for his job department to be printed in his paper. 

Stock Copy for Display Advertisements 

The following matter, written in fable form, was used 
in an advertisement of printing and it contains an idea 
which might frequently be used in connection with ad- 
vertisements for printing. It should be followed with 
some strong copy directed to some particular kind of 
printing : 

The Busy Man and the Printer 

IF YOU want to get a favor done by some obliging friend, and 
want a promise safe and sure on which you may depend, don't 
go to him who always has much leisure time to plan, but if you 
want your favor done, just ask the busy man. 

The man with leisure never has a moment he can spare; he's 
busy "putting off" until his friends are in despair. But he whose 
every waking hour is crowded full of work, forgets the art of 
wasting time — he cannot stop to shirk. 

So, when you want a favor done, and want it right away, go to 
the man who constantly works sixteen hours a day. He'll find a 
moment sure, somewhere, that has no other use, and fix you 
while the idle man is framing an excuse. 

There is a moral to this bit of philosophy. It is — let the busy 
man do your printing — and as we are usually undeniably busy in 
our factory, the moral seems to point pretty straight toward us. 



IDEAS AND ARGUMENTS 17 

The following suggested copy is intended to furnish 
some ideas, not only on fit subjects for advertisements, 
but also illustrating the kind of arguments to be intro- 
duced: 

Why Not Advertise Direct? 

IF YOU want to see a man, you don't stand on a street corner 
and wait for him to come by, but you go to his office or to his 
house. Some advertising seems to us like standing on the corner 
on a possible chance that a prospective buyer may pass that way. 

Printed advertising is the most direct way of reaching your 
prospective buyers, and nine times out of ten it is printed mat- 
ter that you send out yourself to people whom you want to buy 
your goods that is the most effective and also the most economi- 
cal — provided it is well printed. 

The catalog is one of the greatest sales forces in modern busi- 
ness, and the booklet, the personal and form letter, the house- 
organ and the folder are almost equally important as order-get- 
ting factors in an advertising campaign. 

Why not study your selling problems to see if more or better 
direct advertising will not help you meet your hardest competi- 
tion a little better than you have been doing? With direct adver- 
tising you can concentrate your efforts where most needed, or 
you can reach buyers and prospects in your entire field. 

We have some valuable information gotten from our experi- 
ence in producing direct advertising which is at your disposal, 
and if you will consult with us about your printed advertising we 
can often suggest technical points designed to produce for you 
the maximum of result for an economical expenditure. 

Copy for Advertising Scratch Pads 



WE HAVE on hand a large quantity of figuring pads that 
have been made up from waste stock in our factory. We 
are closing these out, assorted sizes in packages of fifty pounds, 



PERSONALITY IN THE ADVERTISEMENT 



at six cents per pound. This is pencil paper. We also have pads 
of ink paper at ten cents per pound. With your next order let us 
send you enough scratch paper for a year at these prices. The pads 
are all of convenient size, but we cannot guarantee any special size. 

A strong personality injected into printers' adver- 
tising will make readers stop and read an advertisement 
which they would otherwise pass over, and if a striking 
and unusual style of expression and display is followed 
out in a series of advertisements the combined effect 
should be a valuable advertisement and worth all the 
time and study that was required to produce an out-of- 
the-ordinary impression. The following copy and display 
is suggested as a style of advertisement which could be 
extended to cover every department or subject of a print- 
er's advertising: 

Let Me Be Your Printer 

MY CUSTOMERS boost for me and for my work. 
A strange thing for a printer to say, but it's true. 

They boost because they like my work. 

When they order from me they get more than ink and paper. 
They get ideas and a service, which means that when I say a cer- 
tain job will be on your desk at 4 o'clock you can go home at 
3:30 and know that it will be there. 

My business is not so large but that I can keep in touch with 
my patrons. 

I'm a busy man, too. Don't ever go to a printer who has noth- 
ing to do and expect good service. 

I can handle the work of just a few more customers without 
lowering my standard of what a printer ought to be to his patrons. 

If you are located in the business district my office is con- 
veniently near. If you are too busy to call I'll make the effort 
and pay you a visit. 

My address is 2480 Main Street. 'Phone Main 648. 

John Dobbs, The Service Printer. 



advertisements for various purposes 19 

What to Say About Your Printing 
The following paragraphs are offered as suggestive copy 
which may be used in building up advertisements for 
various purposes. They may be used wholly or in part or 
changed to meet particular needs or conditions: 

IF YOU appreciate accuracy and promptness, you'll like our 
printing. Our printing service, that goes with every job, may 
be quite different from what you are accustomed to. 

IS YOUR printed advertising as good as it should be? If you sus- 
pect that it might be improved, let us suggest from our ex- 
perience in such matters how it may be made more effective. 

YOUR office stationery is your business representative. Does it 
properly represent you and convey the favorable impression 
that it should? If not, let us furnish you some that will be effec- 
tive advertising. 

PRINTING has revolutionized the business of the entire earth. It 
has broadened the field of enterprise and brought the business 
world to the very doors of the manufacturer, jobber and retail 
merchant. Are you making the greatest use of this great com- 
mercial aid? 

IT IS as much a mistake to send out poor printing as to send a 
poorly dressed salesman on the road. Neither can do you much 
good and may do much harm. 

WHEN you buy the product of our presses, you get also the 
benefit of a carefully trained organization of experienced 
men who know printing from every angle. We strive to be really 
helpful and are always glad to advise or suggest. 

THE reason that some printed advertising falls short of the 
mark is because it is not adapted to the purpose. We try to 
make every job we do fit the case. 



20 



APPEALS TO BUSINESS MEN 



A MAIL-ORDER department requires a particular kind of print- 
ing. Your printed advertising for out-of-town buyers should 
be as strong an argument as good English and good printing can 
make it. And your order blanks and other business forms sent to 
mail buyers should be one hundred per cent plain and simple. 
We have had experience in producing "Parcel Post Printing" 
that might be of interest to you. Ask us about it. 



PRINTED advertising is direct advertising when placed in the 
hands of a prospective buyer of your goods. It is your direct, 
personal representative and j T our chances of getting the order de- 
pend very largely upon the appearance of your printing. It is 
worth while for the busiest business man to take the time to make 
sure that his printed advertising is as good as it can be. 



r ^„__ _-, _._-- _ _- _. .. 



THE HOUSE-ORGAN SHOULD PROVE EQUAL, IF 

NOT SUPERIOR, IN VALUE TO MOST OTHER 

FORMS OF PUBLICITY 






o\ h l 



III. 

HOUSE-ORGAN ADVERTISING FOR PRINTERS 

HAVEbeen investigating the subject of house- 
organ advertising for printers with the view 
to finding out how many printing houses 
in the country have adopted the house- 
organ form of advertising, and just how this 
kind of publicity is regarded by those who 
have established house-organs and are thereby competent, 
from their own experience, to give reliable information. 
The house-organ for printing purposes has been grow- 
ing in favor in many lines of trade for a number of years. 
The printer, not being a particularly aggressive adver- 
tiser, followed rather than led in taking up this form of 
advertising, which is so different in many ways from others. 
The house-organ has become increasingly popular among 
printers, however, and at the present time some of the 
best house-organ publications in this country are being 
put out at regular or irregular intervals by printing houses. 
From various sources I have found about eighty-five 
leading printing houses in this country who are now pub- 
lishing house-organs in various forms. There are perhaps 
many more being published, but these eighty-five are put 
[ 21] 



22 RESULTS WITH HOUSE-ORGANS 

out by leading representative printers in their respective 
communities, and these publications may be regarded as 
the leaders of the trade. My investigation has shown me 
many things. Some printers report that the house-organ 
is the best form of advertising they have ever used. A 
Cleveland company states that its house-organ is secur- 
ing unusual results. A Columbus firm says : We started 
a little house-organ last year, and are enclosing herewith 
copy of a recent number. This method of advertising has 
produced better results for us than any other we have 
tried." 

Others seem to be disappointed with the results secured 
from house-organ advertising. A few leading printing 
houses have written me that they have discontinued their 
house-organs. A Pacific Coast printer says : We are not 
issuing a house-organ at the present time, as we found 
it unprofitable. The country is flooded with literature of 
this character, and the average business man throws it 
into the basket as quickly as he gets it. From our experi- 
ence we consider it the poorest kind of advertising." 

These extracts from letters indicate the two extremes 
of feeling regarding the value of house-organ advertising. 
Without disparaging the editorial efforts of anyone, I wish to 
state that those house-organs which are doing satisfactory 
work for their promotors are of a high order of excellence 
and carry out the principles of advertising which should 
win in whatever medium they are presented to the public. 

There is a great diversity in style in the printers' 
house-organs that are being published. Some are large, 
some small, some printed in two or more colors, and some 
are simple booklets plainly printed on cheap paper. 



contents of the house-organ 23 

Editing the House-Organ 

The printers' house-organ, to be effective, should be 
attractive, interesting and should usually contain some 
matter aside from the advertising features. Pictures are 
good, epigrams have been used with success, and anything 
that will tend to place the buyer and seller of printing 
upon a basis of better understanding will assist in making 
the advertising productive. Suggestions on how to order 
printing, proofreading marks, advice on advertising, sug- 
gestions on printing for parcel post business, articles on 
direct advertising, directions on preparing copy, writing 
advertising, etc., and many other subjects can properly 
be discussed in the house-organ, and every issue should 
contain in many and varied forms the direct application 
to buy printing from the house issuing the publication. 

One printing firm had an interesting article on "The 
House-Organ — Medium of Successful Advertising," sug- 
gesting its value and use for advertisers in many lines. 

A recent issue of another house paper has some very 
clever and interesting sayings, and I wish to quote a few 
of these as indicating the kind of matter which helps to 
make a house-organ a live and welcome visitor to the 
desks of its complimentary subscribers. Under the title on 
the cover it says: I am a monthly messenger from a 
lively printing house. I am an agent for the most powerful 
sales force in the world." On another page is read: "A 
card is but a little thing — but the strongest kind of a 
factor in a personal introduction. We are ready to make 
your 'little printed thing' better and more fruitful of re- 
sults. Better still — ask us to call now." Under the head- 



24 THE MAILING LIST 

ing Attention" is the following: No coming' kid can 
be properly brought up without some 'attention.' The 
business that attracts no attention is the one not adver- 
tised. Good printing is the foundation of all advertising. 
And the firm without it needs some attention from us. 
Let's talk it over. We will swap our time for yours, even 
if yours is worth more." 

It may safely be decided that house-organ advertising 
is well suited to the printing trade in its results and is 
particularly well adapted to printing because the expense, 
which might be urged against it by dealers in other lines, 
is less to the printer than to them. When consistently 
followed out for a reasonable length of time, the house- 
organ should prove equal, if not superior, in value to most 
other forms of publicity. 

The size and style of a house-organ may be varied to 
suit the tastes of the printer issuing it. It should be pro- 
duced in economical form on paper that cuts without 
waste and of such ilze as may be handled advantageously 
in the particular plant issuing it. 

The Important Mailing List 

Much depends upon the mailing list, and this should 
be most carefully compiled. There are various ways of 
securing the names of the complimentary subscribers, 
from directories, telephone books, from salesmen, from 
the ledger accounts of customers within about five years, 
etc. The best list can probably be compiled from all these 
sources. Your regular patrons and persons who have 
bought during the past few years and who might be con- 
sidered desirable customers should all go on the list. Then 



ADVERTISEMENTS IN THE HOUSE-ORGAN 25 

the prospects your salesmen are calling on and names of 
individuals or business houses whose business you can 
handle and want. Get the address of each one correctly, 
and where there is a buyer for the firm, address the house- 
organ to him personally, perhaps also to the active man- 
ager. If your list is large enough an addressing machine 
of some kind will be useful as a time-saver. The publica- 
tion should usually be of such weight that a one-cent 
stamp will carry it in an unsealed envelop. And this en- 
velop can be printed with some attractive illustration or 
design favorably indicating the contents. 

The advertising matter in the house-organ may be 
partly display advertisements, with some straight reading 
matter advertisements and a few advertising paragraphs. 
If these are used, a good plan is to sandwich them in be- 
tween short epigrams or paragraphs of a general but in- 
teresting nature. About half the book should be devoted 
to short stories, readable articles, illustrations, jokes and 
other matter of this kind which may be clipped from 
other publications that are not copyrighted. Editorial 
courtesy suggests that credit be given for matter taken 
from other publications. 

As suggestive of some subjects which might appropri- 
ately be used for house-organ advertisements, there are 
the following phases of printing which can be worked up 
into interesting matter: "Who Is Your Printer?" "The 
Price of Printing," Our Cost-Finding System," "How 
to Order Printing," "The Way We Handle Mail Orders," 
The Right Printing for Your Business," "Your Letter 
Head — Is It a Creditable Representative?" and many 
others which will sufforest themselves. 



26 the name of the publication 

Selecting a Name 

In considering the establishment of a house-organ a 
good name should be selected, and for your guidance in 
determining the name by which your editorial efforts 
shall be known, the following titles are suggested as ap- 
propriate. Some of them are already in use and others are 
original : 

"The Clean Proof," "Profitable Talks on Printing," 
"The Punch," "Pen to Press," "ink Bits," "Kistler's 
Komments," "Better Printing," "Graphigrams," "Print 
Talks," "Printing Tips," ' Craven's Talks," "More Busi- 
ness," 'Direct Advertising," Once in a While," 'Lino- 
type Talks," Impressions," Clark Print," Byck's 
Broadside," "Printing That Pays," "Franklin's Key," 
Stone's Impressions," Pulling Power," Matter-'o- 
Types," Common Sense," The Moon Way," Office 
Cat," The Grasshopper," and so on ad Jlnitum. Any- 
thing that is catchy and pertinent may make a good 
name for a house-organ, but care should be taken to 
choose a name that will wear well, and that is not de- 
pendent for its success upon temporary conditions. 

Suggestive Advertising Paragraphs 
Here are some original advertising paragraphs that can 
be used as they are or adapted to use by such changes as 
may be required : 

PRINTED matter is the direct advertising route between your 
prospect and your plant. Most successful business houses are 
liberal users of printed advertising. The inference is plain, and 
this is a personal suggestion for your consideration in relation 
to your business. 



SUGGESTED ADVERTISING PARAGRAPHS 27 

CO M E to us with your printing troubles. Our experience should 
be valuable to you and we charge you nothing for what we 
know about printed matter. 

YOUR printing should not be an expense, but the best paying 
investment you can make in your business office. Let us 
show you how to get dividends from your printing. 



WE TAKE our own medicine and spend money for printed 
advertising. We practice as well as theorize on this ques- 
tion of making advertising pay. 



MAKE your letterhead really represent your business. It cer- 
tainly should not carry a poor impression of your methods. 
And it alone may be made an effective aid in creating prestige, 
which means business. Let us show you some of the business- 
getting letterheads we have furnished to others in similar lines. 



WE ARE an organized force for better printing and better 
advertising. Our printing is more than a careless arrange- 
ment of ink and paper. Every job represents an intelligent effort 
to produce a result that is really suited to the purpose for which it 
is intended. 

IN PRINTING office and factory forms we strive for econom- 
ical usefulness, rather than an artistic effect, and our equip- 
ment is such that you get work which serves its purpose at the 
minimum of expense. 

AVOID the "Cheap Printer." He does nobody any good, not 
j\ even himself. Did you ever consider that it is not really to your 
own interest to patronize a printer who is not successful in con- 
ducting his own business. 



28 EPIGRAMS THAT MAY BE USED 



Some Suggested Epigrams 

Here are a number of epigrams or philosophic para- 
graphs which illustrate a class of matter that has been 
very popular in house-organs. These were compiled from 
various sources: 

|D When a man loafs he just loafs; when a woman loafs she does 
fancy work. 

0A quick way to remove the taint from other people's money 
is to get your own hands on it. 

|DAn honest man cannot help feeling restless when his bills are 
unsettled. 

Wasted money may be accumulated again. It does not go out 
of existence. But wasted time is gone forever. 

|D It often pays to postpone decision until tomorrow, but it rarely 
pays to postpone action. _ 

|D Honest, now, have you not written a lot of letters that you 
wish you had not posted ? 

|DThe more a man forgives himself, the less he overlooks in 
others. 

|DTime may wait for no man, yet it manages to get him in the 
end. 

Never look backward — unless you can profit by the mistakes 
you have made. 

|DWhen a man starts out to look for fun he manages to uncover a 
lot of trouble. 

§Dlf a man's meals are cooked to suit him his other troubles don't 
amount to much. 



GETTING THE READER INTERESTED 29 

|0 There are indications that the average heiress would rather 
marry a title than be happy. 

|D Perhaps Adam's downfall was due to the fact that he had no 
mother-in-law to look after him. 



§D After a man dies he is soon forgotten — unless his name con- 
tinues to adorn a page in the undertaker's ledger. 

Getting in Close Touch With Readers 

As one way to get in closer touch with persons receiv- 
ing a house-organ, the following article is suggested. 
Responses to copy like this may lead to pleasant and con- 
tinued business relations, and the idea of getting the 
reader interested in the matter published naturally leads 
to an interest in the house publishing it : 

Your Interests avd Ours 

DID you ever stop to think why we send you our little maga- 
zine every issue? The ultimate object of the publication is, of 
course, to advertise our business and sell more goods. But it is 
more than a piece of printed advertising, and we want you to con- 
sider it as our personal representative that calls at your office 
frequently and with a three-fold purpose. Aside from the adver- 
tising feature, it will entertain you and inform you regarding 
various printing matters which will surely interest you because so 
intimately connected with your own business. 

We have a particular reason, too, for sending this booklet to 
you as often as we publish it; otherwise your name would not be 
on our mailing list. We mail a certain number of copies of each 
issue and the complimentary mailing list is carefully selected 
with a view to reaching just those people whom we believe we 
can serve to their satisfaction and our own. Business nowadays 
is much more than selling a single order at a profitable price. 



30 



TALKING IT OVER 



Service is fully fifty per cent of the transaction, and we believe 
that in order to maintain continued satisfactory business relations 
with our customers there must be a profit to both parties, the 
buyer and the seller. We cannot continue to do printing unless 
there is a fair margin of profit in the work, and the printing that 
we do must be of profitable value to our customers. 

If you are a regular patron of this house, we wish right here to 
say that we appreciate your orders and we want to continue to 
serve you. If you are not familiar thru experience with the kind 
of work and the kind of service that we provide, we want you to 
get acquainted. A trial order will show you without any argu- 
ment on our part just what our particular brand of service means 
to our customers. 

And we should like to know what you really think of our pub- 
lication that you have in your hand? Is it entertaining? Do you 
read its pages and does it raise an occasional hearty laugh or 
crack your face in a broad smile ? Do we publish information 
that is of value to you? Do you like its style and arrangement ? 
Why not write us a letter and tell us what you really think of 
our booklets. We want to know. Perhaps you can offer some sug- 
gestions than we can incorporate into it which will make it more 
acceptable to you and to many others. 

If you have an order ready you can inclose it with your letter ; 
but if not, write anyway. Some of the best ideas for a publication 
of this kind have come from the readers, and if you and a few 
more of our subscribers can assist us to edit our booklet and make 
it more readable, no one will lose and we will all gain. 

We appreciate the opportunity that our house-organ give us to 
talk in a personal way with a large audience of customers and 
prospective patrons, and we want to reach the highest standard 
possible in a publication of this kind. 

The Editor. 






rXX^lA^lX2! 



THE SUCCESS OF MAIL-ORDER SELLING OF 
PRINTING REQUIRES A DEFINITE PLAN, CARE- 
FULLY LAID OUT AND CAREFULLY FOLLOWED 



IV. 



ADVERTISING FOR MAIL ORDERS 



s 



mmmiM 



elling printing by mail to out-of-town buy- 
ers is not only possible but one of the most 
practical methods of extending the business 
of a plant which wishes to enlarge its field 
and increase the volume of business. 

Every large printing plant does some busi- 
ness with buyers who may never be seen in the office or 
who are beyond the reach of the solicitors, and there are 
a number of printing houses whose principal or entire 
business is with mail-order buyers. 

Mail orders for printing depend entirely upon adver- 
tising, and the success of mail-order selling requires a 
definite plan, carefully laid out and carefully followed. 
For this reason no printing house should enter the mail- 
order field until the situation has been thoroly considered 
and the principles of mail-order selling fully understood. 
The main field of a business of this kind lies in selling 
printing specialties, because the advertising matter can 
be concentrated upon one line of work to advantage when 
it would be impracticable to try to cover the entire range 
of work handled by the ordinary job printing plant. To 

[31] 



32 HOW TO ADVERTISE FOR ORDERS 

undertake a mail-order department or to start a mail- 
order printing business it is therefore first necessary to 
decide on the kind of work to be solicited thru the adver- 
tising. This may be any line which can be handled con- 
veniently in the plant, such as special form blank books, 
filing cards, gummed labels, commercial stationery such 
as letters, envelops, etc., sheets for loose-leaf books, show 
printing, society stationery, catalogs, book plates or almost 
anything else. With this decided, it is still a question of 
how to advertise, which may be done thru newspapers or 
by sending printed advertising direct to a list of carefully 
compiled prospects. Either plan may be good, but a com- 
bination of both methods of reaching buyers will very 
likely be best, particularly if a line is selected which de- 
pends for its successful selling upon a great many sales 
at a small price. 

If it is desired to add a number of regular customers, 
such as manufacturers, jobbers or large retailers, to the 
patrons of the house, the direct mailing should prove 
most effective. This consists of preparing a list of firms 
whose business is desired and keeping a steady stream of 
printed advertising going to each of them for a period of 
time covering at least three months. I know from per- 
sonal experience that this kind of advertising is effective, 
because I have tried it with success. The advertising 
thus sent should consist of form letters, folders, post 
cards, circulars, etc. , alternated with each other and with 
a return post card frequently enclosed in the envelops 
to make it easy to order or to ask for quotations. This 
phase of a mail-order campaign will be more fully taken 
up later in this series under Form letters." 



handling the order 33 

Handling the Correspondence 

Except in selling small printed specialties, such as 
coin cards, stock labels, printed form books for special 
purposes, and other things of this nature which might 
be kept in stock to fill cash orders, the advertising of 
printing to secure mail orders is naturally directed 
toward getting inquiries, which may by correspondence 
be afterward turned into orders. 

Selling printing by mail is different from most other 
mail-order lines in this respect, and it involves the use 
of more personally dictated letters and fewer form letters. 
It is essential to success that all inquiries for quotations 
or other information be handled promptly and intelli- 
gently. Where a price is quoted the specifications should 
be required in detail from the prospect, or if these are 
lacking, the quotation should make very plain just what 
sort of a job is estimated on. A dummy of the job, sent 
along with the quotation, will save misunderstandings 
and is usually worth its cost for this reason. 

When the order is secured it should be acknowledged, 
preferably by letter, in a style indicating that all of the 
buyer's instructions are understood and that every depart- 
ment of the plant will unite to produce a satisfactory job, 
delivered at the time promised. When a date for delivery 
is required, this should be made contingent upon the 
return of all proofs within a certain number of days from 
the date sent, otherwise there may be a week's time, 
while the proofs are out, when no work can be done on a 
job; and the customer is prone to overlook such things as 
delay on his part in the return of proofs, time required 



34 SYSTEM IN HANDLING CORRESPONDENCE 

for proofs to come to him and return, and the uncertainty 
at times of the mail service. Another protection that the 
printer can insist upon is that the time required to com- 
plete the work date from the day when the last copy is 
received. 

Almost any kind of printing orders can be profitably 
handled by mail if the right system in handling the cor- 
respondence is followed out. Much show printing is 
handled thru mail orders, and I have known of a few 
plants in the smaller cities where show printing was handled 
exclusively thru the mails. By offering good value and 
giving prompt delivery service, this is possible, and the 
plan of doing an exclusive mail-order business is quite 
practical in many lines of printing, such printing that 
may be impossible or impracticable to handle by mail 
being quite the exception. 

A Printer's Own Letterhead 

The sending of many personal and form letters being 
essential to mail-order selling, the letterheads and en- 
velops used are important, and aside from the particular 
value in securing orders by mail of good stationery, all 
correspondence of printers should be carried on with 
letterheads which convey a favorable impression of the 
business represented. Your letter cannot be well dressed 
unless you have a good letterhead, and it is the poorest 
business judgment for a printer to use stationery that is 
poorly designed or poorly printed on cheap paper. If a 
man sends you an order on a sheet of paper torn from a 
common tablet you are not favorably impressed, but if 
it comes on a nice sheet of paper with a well-printed, 



THE PRINTER S OWN STATIONERV 35 

embossed or lithographed heading, you are impressed with 
the probable value of the writer's account. Your own 
stationery is perhaps doubly important to you because you 
are in a business that is expected to produce creditable 
work in this line. A good appearance wins. 

I have received letters from many printers in all parts 
of the country, and it is to the credit of the trade that I 
can state that most of the stationery used is really of a 
high order. Many of the letters were, however, received 
from larger firms in the big cities, and I know that sta- 
tionery of other printing houses is subject to much criti- 
cism and improvement. Choose a good grade of bond 
paper for the purpose, and whether you have the heading 
printed in one or more colors, see that the work is first- 
class in every respect, and that the copy carries a strong 
impression of your business. 

Some of the best letterheads from printers have the 
sheet bordered, either with a rule border or with a design 
pattern of some kind, which is attractive, and because the 
style of treatment is out of the ordinary is something of 
a novelty. 

The most novel letterhead I have seen for some time 
measures 8V2 xl4 inches, and is so arranged that the three 
inches at the top are folded down over the face of the 
sheet. The heading was lithographed on this folded- 
over part, and when the fold is lifted up a striking ad- 
vertisement is shown on the space 8V2X6 inches at the 
top of the sheet. The entire face of the sheet and the 
part folded over is bordered in gray, and the heading and 
advertisement are lithographed in a combination of black 
and gray. 



36 



ADVERTISING SPECIALTY WORK 



Suggested Mail-Order Copy 

As suggested copy for mail-order advertising the fol- 
lowing is given with the idea that it may be used as 
written in part or that it will serve as an example of 
some of the points to be featured. 



Actual Typewritten Letters 

Produced by printing thru large typewriter ribbons. A 
perfect match guaranteed. We furnish typewriter ribbons 
to match our form letter printing and the result cannot be 
distinguished from typewritten letters. 

If you have been bothered in getting letters that match 
your fill in, write for samples and see for yourself the per- 
fect work that we do. 

Acme Printing Company, Chicago, 111. 



An advertisement like this should be set to occupy a 
small, single-column space in publications reaching mail- 
order dealers and merchants having mail-order depart- 
ments. Any large advertising agency can suggest a list 
of trade papers reaching this class of buyers. 

And here are three advertisements taken from publica- 
tions, just as they appeared, illustrating three lines of 
specialty work which are being advertised by mail: 



STORE PAPERS 

HAVE A PUBLICATION OF YOUR OWN 

We will be glad to furnish 
you with information 

THE NEW FRANKLIN PRINTING CO. 
65 East Gay Street - - Columbus, Ohio 



SELLING SOCIETY STATIONERY 37 



The Most Complete Advertising 
Record Ever Published 

Keeps tab on all replies, all cash, all charge 
accounts, all expenses, etc. Price complete only 
$1.00, also index Tags, practical and convenient, 
26 for 15c; Address Record, complete 15c: Sys- 
tematic Order Cards. 50 for 35c, or $3.00 per 1000. 
All prepaid. Samples 10c Special proposition for 
mail dealers. Address. 

Smith Commercial Publishing Co. 
Box 892. Tampa Fla. 



m IMa fflfflMHf 



Hand stamped, in color and gold, on heavy 
linen paper, finest quality. 24 sheets and envel- 
opes. 50c box; 24 sheets, 24 correspondence cards 
F^i^l and 43 envelopes, $1 box, charges paid. State ini- 
tial. Money returned if not pleaded. 
Charles H. Elliott Co., 1638 Lehigh Ave., Philada. 



Selling Society Stationery by Mail 
That it is possible to sell engraved cards and stationery 
by mail is shown by the fact that a number of engravers, 
printers and stationers are continually advertising for this 
sort of business s and it is possible to build up a consider- 
able trade from out-of-town patrons by advertising for 
work in newspapers or magazines. Mail-order advertise- 
ments of this kind should usually be small on account of 
the cost, and should feature some special line in the ad- 
vertisement, followed by an explanation of the lines of 
Nvork you are doing. The copy should be brief and to the 
point, and written in the most forceful style of which you 
are capable. If you are featuring card printing or engrav- 
ing it would probably be best to quote prices on fifty or 
one hundred cards, postpaid. 

In selecting mediums for this sort of advertising, the 



38 



SPECIMEN ADVERTISEMENTS 



price per line of the space is of course one of the principal 
considerations. Generally speaking, papers or magazines 
circulating in the territory which you wish to reach should 
be used. If you are advertising work for women's use, 
use publications which are largely read by women. Busi- 
ness stationery, however, should be advertised in publi- 
cations that are read by men. The following advertise- 
ment reproduced from a business publication is a good 
example of this kind of advertising, and the etching, 
"Engraved Cards," in script adds attractiveness to the 
advertisement and is particularly appropriate to the copy : 




SOCIAL 

Engraved one line plate 
and 100 cards, postpaid. 
Mrs., Miss or Mr. 

SCRIPT ....... $1 25 

SQUARE LETTER - - - $1.75 
SHADED LETTER - - - $2.25 



The advertisement offering one hundred engraved wed- 
ding invitations for seven dollars was taken from the 
Saturday Evening Post, where it was run by a Chicago 
Engraving Company, and it indicates the field which t 
may be reached in advertising for work of this kind. 
This is excellent copy, well displayed, and may be taken 
as a model for other advertising of this kind: 



100 



ENGRAVED 
WEDDING INVITATIONS 



$7 



Highest Grade — not a printed imitation. Correct styles. 
Each additional hundred S2.25. Outside and Inside En- 
velopes. Transportation prepaid. Send for free samples. 
100 Finest Engraved Calling Cards $1.00. 

BUSINESS STATIONERY KJSKT^^ 

tional hundred 85c. Finest engraved business stationery at 
new, low introductory prices, this week only. Samples free. 



ATTRACTIVE DISPLAY IN SMALL SPACE 39 

The following reproduced advertisement is shown to 
illustrate what an attractive display may be secured in a 
small space. An advertisement like this might be run in 
local newspapers or in publications of more general cir- 
culation for mail orders. This one was intended to reach 
the out-of-town buvers : 



50Vedding7\nnouncement5 

lOO CALLING CARDS', $t 

25 CORRESPONDENCE CARDS' 1 
WENVELOPES, EMBOSSED,*^ 

Announcements 6? Cards of De Luxe Quality. Hand Engraved 
in English Script: Correspondence Cards Embossed xvitn Three- 
Left er Monogram; delivery prepaid, i Write for free sample*. 

Staift-BROOKS SbcuTf Stationiky Shop, 

1T37 CAXirORNIA ST., 





insert z " ^rymmr' ~ ^ 'c 



A BUSINESS-GETTING FORM LETTER, TO BE 

SUCCESSFUL, MUST HAVE PULL AND FORCE, 

SINCERITY AND ENERGY 






mi 
q 

1 

m 


FWWUFM 


I 


§ 

3 
m 


HUM 



V. 

FORM LETTERS FOR PRINTERS 

know of no reason why form letters should 
not be successfully used by printers as a part 
of their advertising campaigns. These let- 
ters, resembling more or less personally 
dictated letters, are the backbone of the 
mail-order business, and in advertising for 
out-of-town orders they are almost a necessity to the 
printer. 

Form letter advertising is the most direct advertising 
you can do and is the nearest approach to personal solici* 
tation by a salesman of anything you can send out. Best 
results can probably be. obtained by using them in con- 
nection with other advertising mailed to the same per- 
sons. For instance, you might send out a form letter this 
week, a folder next week and a post card reminder the 
week following, and each form of advertising would fit 
well into the complete campaign to secure the business 
of the one addressed. The aim in soliciting mail-orders 
for printing is usually to secure the continued patronage 
of some business firm rather than a single order, and for 
this reason it should be profitable to continue mailing let- 
[ 40] 



LETTER COPY SHOULD HAVE PUNCH 41 

ters and other advertising matter to the same list of names, 
even tho no response is secured for a number of months. 

A business-getting form letter, to be successful, must 
have pull and force, sincerity and energy. It must 
radiate an air of success and ability and should be de- 
signed to feature one or more distinctive points. To send 
out form letters, couched in weak and faulty English, 
stating merely that you were in the printing business and 
could handle all kinds of work, would be folly. To win 
attention they must be aimed at some particular point 
likely to interest the reader, and they must hit the mark, 
so far as their construction is concerned. In no other form 
of advertising is it so necessary, perhaps, that the copy 
have the punch." Form letters should be free from 
superfluous words or outside references, but should go 
straight to the mark in the strongest sales-English at the 
command of the writer. They must tell their story con- 
vincingly and in a way calculated to hold the attention 
and interest of the reader. Write your form letters with 
a thought in your mind of the man who is to read them. 

Most form letters have to do with the solicitation of 
orders, but the printer who builds up a business by mail 
with out-of-town patrons will also have use for other 
forms which will save time in dictating personal letters. 
These might be written to cover various points with ref- 
erence to the sending out of proofs, inquiry letters regard- 
ing proofs not returned to the printer and various other 
phases of handling orders from out-of-town buyers. A 
good letter acknowledging the receipt of an order might 
also be used to advantage, being much better in many 
cases than a post card acknowledgment. In using a num- 



42 ONE LETTER NOT SUFFICIENT 

ber of letters of this kind and in writing follow-up letters 
soliciting business, great care should be taken that they 
are harmonious with each other. They need not, probably 
should not, all be written in the same style, but they should 
all show the same spirit of providing satisfactory service. 

Following Up Prospects by Mail 

Do not be discouraged if your form letters bring but 
slight results after the first mailing or two. The follow-up 
part of the form letter campaign is the most important. 
The impression your first letter may create will not often 
bring the order, but the second letter makes your busi- 
ness and your house more familiar to the person addressed, 
and from my own experience I can say without fear of 
contradiction, that if you have something to offer in your 
service which is applicable to the business houses on your 
mailing list you will eventually secure a good percentage 
of orders from your prospects if you will continue the form 
letter advertising, helped out with folders, cards or other 
printed matter for a number of months. The thing to re- 
member is that you are not soliciting a single order, but 
the continued patronage of the firms addressed, and that 
you can well afford to spend several dollars in form let- 
ters on each prospect if you are convinced that you will 
eventually secure the business desired. 

Don't repeat the same proposition or arguments or 
features in each letter, but try to bring out new points in 
favor of your business each time with just enough con- 
nection between each letter and the preceding ones to 
connect them in the mind of the reader as all coming 
from the same firm. 



POINTS TO BE FEATURED 43 

A principle of form letter advertising is to make it 
easy for the prospect to order. This may be done by en- 
closing order forms, return envelops or post cards for a 
reply. In advertising to out-of-town business houses for 
mail-orders on printing you would hardly expect to receive 
direct orders from a form letter. What you should go after 
is inquiries and correspondence of any kind that will give 
you the opportunity to write a personal letter, and these 
personal letters in reply to correspondence should be as 
carefully written and in the same general style as the 
form letters. It would be a poor policy, for instance, to 
pay an expert form letter writer ten dollars each for writ- 
ing your form letters and then turn the result in corre- 
spondence over to some inexperienced clerk whose letters 
in reply to inquiries received would be far below the 
standard of your form letters. 

The points which you should feature in form letter 
advertising are the special facilities or experience you 
may have in handling the particular class of printing 
which is used by the ones addressed. As a general rule, 
I do not believe in making a point of cut prices in any 
advertising. You should rather talk quality, but in mail- 
order advertising quality alone will hardly bring the busi- 
ness. You must feature the quality of your work and 
your service as applied to particular lines of printing. If 
you are making a specialty of printing business forms, en- 
large upon this idea. If your line is commercial printing, 
letterheads, envelops, etc., explain your facilities for 
doing this kind of work. If you pay the delivery charges 
on orders this is an excellent talking point, and I once 
conducted a very successful campaign for out-of-town 



44 FORM LETTERS SHOULD BE TRUTHFUL 

orders one of the principal drawing points of which was 
the old slogan, "We Pay the Freight." 

The form letter was originally intended to lead the re- 
cipient to believe that it was a personally dictated letter, 
and it is important that the fill-in of the name and ad- 
dress at the top match the balance of the letter, which is 
the product of some form letter process; but there is a 
growing tendency not to attempt to fool the reader in this 
way. Some advertisers add a postscript reading, "This is 
one of a number of letters sent to friends," or "Because 
of the many persons to whom we wish to present this 
matter, we are unable to write each a personal letter." 

While it may not be necessary, even in the interests 
of truthful advertising, to add a postscript of this kind, 
the form letters of the printer should be truthful, not 
promising what he cannot do, nor making alluring state- 
ments that will result in disappointment. Printing is as 
legitimate a business as any, and it can be successfully 
advertised in a legitimate way. 

The best style of a form letter is in a personal vein, but 
it should not be so enthusiastic as to exaggerate the serv- 
ice offered, and this is not necessary. 

If you are mailing several hundred letters to business 
men in the same city you can very likely secure enough 
inquiries from this locality to pay you to send a compe- 
tent salesman to call on these prospects, making occa- 
sional trips for this purpose, and I have many times suc- 
ceeded in securing very satisfactory business from trips 
of this kind which I have made, calling only on those 
from whom inquiries of some kind had been received. 

If you are doing work for several firms in the same line 



THE RATES OF POSTAGE 45 

of business you should add other business houses in the 
same line to your mailing list, and the selection of these 
names is an important consideration in the matter of form 
letters. Select the names of business people in the same 
or similar lines of trade. For instance, you might adver- 
tise in the same way to commission men, wholesale houses 
in various lines, department stores, schools and colleges, 
real estate and land dealers, manufacturers, railroads and 
street railway companies and many others, grouping the 
names as far as possible. 

A card index for the names on your mailing-list is es- 
sential in carrying out a follow-up campaign. On these 
cards details of information such as dates of mailing, 
dates that inquiries are received, dates and amounts of 
orders, etc., should be entered, and it will pay you to 
keep this information up to date. A few minutes' work 
each day will do it. 

There is an unending discussion going on as to the 
comparative value of mailing form letters under sealed 
postage or at the open printed matter rate. The post 
office provides that twenty or more unsealed letters that 
are identical may be mailed at the same time at the 
printed matter rate of one cent for each four ounces of 
weight even tho the name and address is filled in with 
typewriter at the top and the signature written with pen 
and ink or imitation handwriting. There are arguments 
in favor of both rates of postage. As a general principle, 
however, if you are mailing only a few letters it is pref- 
erable to use the two-cent stamp on a sealed letter. If 
your list is large and you intend to follow it up, you 
might send your first letters under sealed envelop and the 



46 ASKING FOR BUSINESS 

others in penny-saver envelops, which permit postal in- 
spection, but are apparently sealed and go at the printed 
matter rate. 

A Form Letter to Manufacturers 

As a suggestion for the kind of letters which should 
prove effective in your form letter advertising, the follow- 
ing may be taken as an example of a good style to be fol- 
lowed : 

Acme Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111. 
Gentlemen : 

Does your printing satisfy you in every way ? 

If not, let us show you the kind of service in the printing of 
your office and factory forms which we are doing for other manu- 
facturers who say that they never had as good work at such rea- 
sonable prices. 

We specialize on the printing of the various forms needed in 
conducting the manufacturing business, and we have equipped 
and arranged our plant so that we honestly do turn out work of 
this class in better style and often at lower prices than it can be 
done in printing plants which do a more general line of work. 

Put a few of your regular forms in the enclosed envelop, stating 
about how many you order at a time, and we will quote you 
promptly, with samples of similar work which we have done for 
others. We can thus prove to you that our statements are cor- 
rect. The matter may be as much to your interests as to our own. 
and we want the privilege of showing you what we can do along 
these lines. Very truly yours, 

How to Acknowledge Orders 

The following form letter for acknowledging orders re- 
ceived by mail might be utilized with slight changes in 
acknowledging almost any kind of an order ;. 



ACKNOWLEDGING THE ORDER 47 

Acme Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111. 
Gentlemen : 

Your favor of third instant with order for ten thousand book- 
lets is received, and in thanking you for this favor we wish to say 
that the production of this booklet will have the careful atten- 
tion of our various departments until it is delivered to you on 
the date specified — the fifteenth of this month. 

We have gone over your suggestions and details of your order 
carefully, and the specifications are thoroly understood. There is 
nothing in them to increase the price over that quoted you. 

We expect to mail you proof in about four days, and we will 
appreciate your prompt return as soon as you have looked it over. 

If there is any other printed matter to be used in connection 
with this job we should like to handle it for you, and will en- 
deavor to complete it at the time the booklets are finished. 

Again assuring you of our intention of making this booklet a 
creditable piece of advertising for your house and for ourselves, 
we are, Very truly yours, 

A letter like the above might be kept in the office for 
a general form to be copied with such changes as neces- 
sary in acknowledging all orders, and would perhaps be 
more practical than to have a quantity of form letters 
printed. The copy could, however, be adapted to the 
latter use by leaving blanks for the date and the kind of 
work. 






TO BE KNOWN AS THE SOCIETY PRINTER OF ANY 
LOCALITY MEANS PROFIT AND SUCH A REPU- 
TATION IS EASILY MAINTAINED 






VI 



SOCIETY PRINTING AND ENGRAVING 



rinted and engraved stationery for use in 
polite society is a line which may be devel- 

PB oped to considerable proportions by printers 
nj in cities or towns of such size that society is 
a recognized institution, and even in towns 
of five thousand people there is an oppor- 
tunity to make money from this line. It requires only a 
small equipment of type and a limited stock to handle 
the printed orders, and printers who do not do the steel 
die work and copper-plate engraving can arrange to have 
this work done for them by some trade engraving shop 
either in their home town or in some nearby city. It is 
simply a matter of advertising to get these society sta- 
tionery orders. If you are soliciting local orders you must 
have a location convenient to women, but if you adver- 
tise for mail orders any location will do. 

To be known as the society printer of any locality is 
prestige that means profits, and once secured a reputation 
of this kind is comparatively easy to maintain. 

To successfully carry on a society stationery depart- 
ment, the advertising must be attractive to women patrons, 
[ 48 ] 



ADVERTISING AND DELIVERING STATIONERY 49 

for these are the ones who buy calling cards, wedding 
stationery, engraved invitations, ' At Home" cards, etc. 
And as women are particularly susceptible on the subject 
of styles, the good form" of your work should be fre- 
quently featured in this advertising. If a printer can let 
it be known that he is closely in touch with the sta- 
tionery styles in New York and other eastern centers of 
fashion, it will not be hard to secure most of the best 
orders for society stationery in his locality. 

Newspaper advertising in newspapers and on pages 
that appeal particularly to women is effective in winning 
this kind of trade, and the copy of these advertisements 
should be carefully prepared in faultless English that has 
an air of dignity as well as an attractive appearance. The 
management of the department should carry out this 
same impression in every way. 

Because many women are not familiar with the correct 
usages of society, some society stationers offer as an in- 
ducement to lady callers a free copy of a book on social 
etiquette or on the subject of social stationery. Other 
books on the correct appointments of a wedding have 
been successfully used in this way. 

All society stationery should be delivered in boxes 
carefully packed, and the burned wood box with the ad- 
vertisement of the printer or stationer burned on the in- 
side of the cover has proved very popular. Another way 
of advertising the society stationery department is to have 
the engraved copper plate used for the invitation or wed- 
ding announcement made into a unique card tray by 
bending up the edges and perhaps cutting them into 
fancy shapes, which may be done by metal workers. 



50 PERSONAL CALLING CARDS 

In every city and town there is a considerable trade in 
the printing and engraving of personal or calling cards 
for both ladies and gentlemen. Printed cards are in com- 
mon use, and the right kind of advertising for these 
orders of fifty to one hundred cards at a time is good pub- 
licity. The nature of the printing business is such that I 
do not advocate the advertising of cut prices as a general 
custom, but this matter of calling cards recalls to my 
mind an occasion when I did a very satisfactory one-day 
business in printing calling cards at a special cut price. 
The selling event was advertised by circularizing the 
town with an attractive folder in which a sample card 
was enclosed, and the price was cut about one-half on all 
orders received on a certain day. The number of orders 
received was surprising, and the cards were printed at 
small cost by running them in forms of four or eight. 

There is a possibility of building up quite a trade in 
mail orders for society printing and engraving by adver- 
tising in papers or magazines that reach out into a terri- 
tory beyond your home town. These advertisements 
should usually be small, and should either feature the 
advertised price or should invite correspondence by offer- 
ing to send samples of work. 

June being the month of weddings, the latter part of 
May and the early part of June each year will naturally 
be the best months in which to advertise wedding sta- 
tionery. Cards and other forms may be advertised in al- 
most any month of the year excepting mid-summer. 

Suggested Copy for Society Stationery Advertisements 
Here is some suggested copy which might be used in 



ADVERTISING FOR WEDDING PRINTING 51 

whole or in part in making up an advertisement on this 
subject, and it is urged that an illustration indicative in 
some way of a wedding ceremony be used to call atten- 
tion to the advertisement. This illustration might take 
the form of a decorative border of cupids or it might show 
the marriage ceremony in the church, or the head and 
shoulders of a bride and groom. 

Wedding Bells Ringing This Month 
The invitations should reflect perfect taste. Quite as import- 
ant as any of the other appointments of the wedding are the in- 
vitations or announcements, and no form of social stationery re- 
ceives such close inspection. The wedding stationery should be 
absolutely correct in every detail, and it will be faultless if you 
permit us to handle this important detail for you. We keep in 
close touch with the changing styles in eastern fashion centers, 
and our facilities and experience in producing copper plate en- 
graved work on social forms assures you perfect satisfaction in 
this important part of the arrangements for the wedding. 

Our society stationery department is arranged to insure pri- 
vacy while ordering stationery of this kind, and we invite pro- 
spective brides and their mothers to call and see samples of the 
new st} T les of both paper and engraving that are being used in 
New York, Boston and Philadelphia this season. If not conve- 
nient to call we will on request gladly mail samples with full in- 
formation for ordering. 

The following copy properly arranged typographically 
also makes a good newspaper advertisement of small size. 
The head line should include either the name of the firm 
doing the advertising or the name of some well-known 
brand of paper for society stationery. 

Blank Wedding Stationery 
Has a style and touch of quality that distinguishes it from all 
others — a difference instantly recognized by people who know. 



52 THE STYLES OF STATIONERY 

Blank finish brings out the beauty of the engraving as no other 
paper can do. 

Our engraving and printing are in keeping with the quality of 
paper — the styles in accord with the latest dictates of fashion. 

Prices are no higher than usually paid for the ordinary kinds. 

Samples qn request. 

Here is some additional copy for an advertisement of 
engraved wedding stationery, suitable for use in news- 
paper, program or almost any other medium. With slight 
variation it might also be used for advertising printed 
wedding stationery by the printer who does not handle 
engraved work : 

Wedding Stationery 

Particular occasions demand the most exacting care, and no 
occasion is more important than a wedding in the family. 

A consultation with our engraving department will simplify 
the problem for you : 

First. By giving you a choice of the new and proper styles, the 
same as used in New York. 

Second. By giving you the absolute assurance of satisfaction. 

Third. By charging no more than commonplace work costs 
elsewhere. 

Buyers of society stationery, whether printed or en- 
graved, look to the one who produces the work to tell 
them what styles are in favor in leading society centers, 
not only in styles of engraving or type but also in shapes 
and sizes of various cards and papers. A folder giving the 
prevailing card sizes and samples of the styles of type or 
engraving used is almost essential and is also excellent 
advertising. For the benefit of printers who may not have 
the information at hand the accompanying scale of card 
sizes is given for use in this way. 



§3 



i s s £ j2 



< CO u 



2 

u 

o 



S ? s 

~0 C "V 



£ S S 2 4 



Q ui U I 



- ^ -J S 



54 advertising the novelty 

Make the Advertisements Interesting 

Any interesting bits of information regarding styles in 
society stationery can be incorporated into advertising 
copy for this department, for buyers of these goods con- 
sider the style quite as much as the price, if not more. 
Correctness should be one of the principal features of 
most advertisements of engraved or printed forms for 
social usage. 

Illustrating the use of extraneous matter, the follow- 
ing copy was used by a successful advertising stationer 
in a house-organ advertisement on calling cards: 

The New Visiting Cards 

The plain visiting cards of today are to be superseded, it is 
said, by elaborate and ornamental cards like those in use a cen- 
tury or more ago. Before these ornamented cards of the early 
nineteenth century were introduced, visitors wrote their names 
on the backs of playing cards, which were not decorated then as 
they are today, but were left blank. France inaugurated the 
fashion of carrying decorated visiting cards, and the fashion was 
quickly adopted by Italy, England and Germany. Many and 
elaborate were the designs — the best of which were made in 
England — and it was not until after the French Revolution that 
the plain, undecorated visiting card came into use. 

And we will be the first to show these new calling cards almost 
as quick as they make their appearance at the big stores on 
Broadway, New York. 

The reproduced advertisement from the Smith-Brooks 
Society Stationery Shop is an excellent example of good 
style and display. It features the samples of wedding 
stationery as attractively as could perhaps be done and 
should bring many inquiries. The size of the advertise- 






ODDLY DISPLAYED ADVERTISEMENTS 



55 



t WEDDING- 
STATIONERY 

A Dainty Box Containing A 
Complete Set Of Samples Of All 
The Correct Forms' And Styles 
Or Hand-E ngraved Announcements, 
Invitations, Cards; etcwith drocmv/re 
*7h£ stat/ohery fok the weddwg." 

MAILED FPEC ON REQUEST 

rooks Socirar^KmoNEKYShop 

113 T CALIFORNIA. ST. 




This was a double-column advertisement 

ment might be open to criticism, but only on the ground 
of the cost of the space. Every advertiser must decide for 
himself the proper size of space to use based on the rates 
he is paying in newspapers or other mediums. A trial of 
various sizes with the same copy will show which size is 
most economical and brings inquiries at the lowest cost. 

Two Odd Display Advertisements 
Freak advertisements are not usually considered good 
advertising, nor are they; but in connection with this 
subject of advertising society stationery, here are a couple 
of odd ones that I designed for the firm mentioned which 
served their purpose in a campaign of newspaper adver- 
tising. They illustrate the wide range of possibilities in 
the advertising of engraving and they attracted atten- 
tion because they were different 



ha £w^'- 
Vlfill ~£c -Ml jMfttfUr Tilde y$rf Mj. Mc^la/ 

S&Utf. stUcd. MUu TTrt^Uz^jL^. 

7? SMJ. 



S#2<A*0 






< D\Lr a«3 ( D\U. Society <£>&> 

announce, the ma.iA.iaae. at tnelr dauqtdei 

Cutiattc fenafcasHna 
\J\Lr. v^oucct Stale 

at the iXaie al 

Cync oo. c/t. eJViauet Q^taXionetu Lx>. 
^Dewier KMlaxada 




\Xi UXjame. 

aU tin war touna 

1588-1548 Juiwiencc ot«««t 


WE FURNISH THE INVITA- 
TIONS OR ANNOUNCEMENTS 
FOR MOST OF DENVER'S 
SOCIETY WEDDINGS. 











Two unusual advertisements 




^^^T^n^^M^nry^W^^rT^J^ 



THE LITTLE IMPRINT COSTS PRACTICALLY NOTH- 
ING, AND ITS CIRCULATION MAY BE MADE ALMOST 
AS GREAT AS THE TOTAL PRODUCTION 



Lt^^Li^ZjLi^uLi^u^'^Li^j^jULJU^ 



VII. 

THE PRINTERS IMPRINT 




he imprint of the printer on the product of 
his presses is one of the most important and 
perhaps the most neglected opportunities 
for publicity that is open to the trade in 
connection with advertising campaigns for 
more business. The little imprint costs prac- 
tically nothing, and its circulation may be made almost as 
great as the total production of the presses, and yet I see 
much printed matter which could well carry an imprint, 
but which is not marked in any way to indicate the maker. 
I have seen the inside working of many printing plants 
in both large cities and small, but I have never seen one 
where the imprint was used to its fullest capacity as an 
advertising medium. 

On almost everything that we buy nowadays the name 
of the maker, and often much other advertising matter 
besides merely the name, is prominently displayed some- 
where on the article, whether it be machinery, wearing 
apparel, groceries in packages, office supplies, or almost 
any other line of merchandise. But the printer, thru 
carelessness or a lack of appreciation of its value, too fre- 
[57] 



•*m 



58 THE VALUE OF THE IMPRINT 

quently permits highly creditable work to be delivered 
from his plant without his imprint. 

If this matter of the use of an imprint is considered at 
its true value, it will be much more generally used, and 
if the advisability of using the imprint is carefully 
weighed in connection with every order received, it will 
be found that there are only a few classes of work upon 
which the imprint cannot be appropriately used without 
objection on the part of the buyer. Even wedding sta- 
tionery is marked under the flap of the envelop, in em- 
bossed letters, with the name and address of the engraver 
or stationer, and if so important a part of a society wed- 
ding as the invitations and announcements can carry a 
little advertisement of this kind, surely most other printed 
matter, especially that designed for advertising purposes, 
can carry an imprint without oifense. 

The trouble is that printers too frequently overlook the 
advertising value of the imprint, and there is perhaps 
only one class of printing where the custom of using an 
imprint has become almost universally established, and 
that is show printing, such as printed and lithographed 
posters, window hangers, and other advertising matter 
used by theatrical companies, circuses, etc. 

The typographical union seems to appreciate more 
highly the value of the union label on printed matter 
than the employing printer does the use of his own name 
and address on the same work. 

Reiteration is important in all advertising; the cumu- 
lative value of any sort of publicity depends to a great 
extent upon the repetition of words, phrases, pictures or 
ideas conveyed in some other way; and the registered 



THE TRADEMARK AS A PICTURE 59 

trademark has become an important factor in advertising 
almost every line of merchandise that is at all advertised 
thru printed matter. The reader may have no particular 
reason for reading the advertisement, but he will notice 
the trademark if it is a good one, and it will leave an 
impression upon his mind. Perhaps no advertising method 
is so profitable at so small an expense as a trademark, 
but, conversely, no matter how good a trademark may 
be, it is of no value whatever to the printer unless it is 
used, and the more it is used the more valuable it be- 
comes. It has been said that the trademark is to a busi- 
ness what a man's face is to his personality ; both are 
quickly recognized by those who have seen them often 
before. 

Another thing in favor of the trademark when it is in 
the form of some distinctive design or picture, is that 
the mind grasps ideas in pictorial form quicker than in 
any other way. Everybody understands pictures, and the 
trademark is intended to present the idea of the busi- 
ness or merchandise which it represents. Oftentimes the 
entire business could not be pictured in a small space, but 
the trademark or symbol of the business carries the idea 
just as effectively. 

The imprint is the printer's trademark, and while it 
is usually not necessary to have the imprint registered 
with the government at Washington as trademarks are, 
the purpose and value are the same. 

When the Buyer Objects 

I know that buyers will sometimes offer objections to 
the use of an imprint on their work for various reasons. 



60 THE HABERDASHER AND THE PRINTER 

The most common reason, whether the buyer will admit 
it or not, is that he does not wish other printers to know 
where he is getting his work. When a customer objects 
to using an imprint on his printing, the proper way to 
overcome this is to explain to him in a friendly way that 
almost all goods sold are marked with the name of the 
maker, and that the printer should have the same privi- 
lege unless there is some particularly good reason for not 
using it in special cases. A dealer in men's furnishings 
ordered some printed circulars from a printer whom he 
knew well enough to enjoy his patronage in the furnish- 
ing line. He said: I don't want you to put your im- 
print on this job." The work ordered was an advertising 
folder, and the shape, style, illustrations and use of two 
appropriate shades of ink on good paper made the job 
one which would reflect credit upon the printer, and he 
wished to use his imprint for this reason. To overcome 
the objection of his customer he therefore pulled off his 
hat and showed the furnishing-goods man his own name, 
address and a couple of other lines of advertising stamped 
on the inside band of the hat. But few words were neces- 
sary to make the application. He only said: You put 
your imprint on almost everything you sell. Here it is on 
this hat which I bought from you last week. Now, why 
can't I put my imprint in small type on the lower corner 
of the last page of your folder?" The argument was irre- 
sistible. He won his point, and this same argument will 
generally be effective for the use of an imprint. 

Some buyers of printing will occasionally request that 
the union label be used on their work, and when it is 
used the imprint of the printer should always accompany 



THE IMPRINT ON THE PROOF 61 

the union label, either above or at one side. Imprints 
should never be so large as to be overly conspicuous. A 
small line of six-point caps is most useful on small work. 
But if the imprint is set in type, it should be used in 
various sizes of the same type series. A better imprint is 
some special design, simple in nature and appropriate for 
printing on any kind of paper. The address may or may 
not be incorporated as a part of the design, and if it is 
desired to use the address, the name of the city or town 
only is usually all that is necessary, as the use of the 
street and number and the name of the state makes it too 
long an imprint. 

Give the Imprint Publicity 

Use your imprint whenever possible. On many classes 
of work a standing order can be given to the foreman to 
always use it. On other work where the use of an im- 
print might be open to argument on the part of the 
buyer, it is well to have an understanding with him that 
the imprint is to be used. In cases where a proof is to be 
sent out, however, the proof should show the imprint, 
and if the customer objects he will state his reasons at 
this time. Electrotyped imprints are perhaps better than 
those set in type. They are easierto handle, are always 
the same, and put the mark in convenient form for use 
on any sort of job. Electros should be watched, how- 
ever, and replaced whenever they become worn down. 
Imprints can also be cast on the linotype machine, and 
the typefounders will cast trademarks or pictorial devices 
in quantities. 

The Art and Practice of Typography," a volume pub- 




I 


if® 

ill 


\ 



WHERE IMPRINTS ARE USED 63 

lished by the Oswald Publishing Company, contains a 
showing of numerous printers' marks, some set in type 
and others designed. A few devices are shown on the 
opposite page. 

Printers' imprints are common in book publishing, and 
should always be used either in the front (back of the 
title-page) or the back of books unless the publisher re- 
fuses permission to do so. Catalogs and booklets can 
usually be imprinted without objection, and folders, cir- 
culars and almost all printing for advertising purposes. 
Blank books, sheets for loose-leaf ledgers and other office 
or factory forms can always carry the imprint, and about 
the only classes of work which cannot be imprinted with 
propriety are letterheads, statements, printed envelops 
and personal or business cards. 

If you are not making the fullest use of your imprint 
in your business, give the matter a little careful consid- 
eration. Look around and see how general the use of 
trademarks and imprints is in other lines of trade. Then 
select a good one for yourself if you have not a sign for 
your work that meets your approval, and make use of 
your trademark on every occasion possible. In no other 
line of trade can the mark of the maker be attached to 
his product so cheaply; and there are few, if any, lines of 
manufacturing having so large an output as printing, for 
the reason that printing is so generally used in the busi- 
ness world, and the speed of modern printing presses pro- 
duces the product faster than almost any other machinery 
used in manufacturing. 






A GOOD WINDOW SPACE PROPERLY UTILIZED 
SHOULD BE OF AS MUCH VALUE IN THE PRINT- 
ING BUSINESS AS IN OTHER LINES 






VIII. 

ADVERTISING VALUE OF THE OFFICE 

ppearance counts in advertising as in every- 
thing else, and the impression which the 
building, show windows and office of a print- 
ing plant make upon passers-by, callers 
and customers is quite as important in con- 
nection with the advertising campaign as 



A 



all the printed publicity that may be issued. 

Buildings of attractive architecture to house the print- 
ing plants have been built in many of the large cities in 
recent years, some of them models of beauty and of great 
advertising value. Any building of striking architecture 
helps materially to make known the business that lives 
within, and if by signs or the outer appearance of a build- 
ing it can be made to impress strongly all who see it as 
the home of a thriving printing house, the resulting ad- 
vertising is worthy of serious attention and considerable 
expense. 

In the majority of instances, however, the printing 

plant is obliged to occupy quarters not especially built 

for the trade and not particularly attractive. Much may 

be done in such cases even here, by the use of signs that 

' [ 64 ] 



ELECTRIC SIGNS ARE GOOD ADVERTISING 65 

cannot be overlooked. The printer should thus be a con- 
stant user of the sign painter's product as well as printed 
publicity. 

Electric signs are good advertising if local conditions 
are propitious ; that is, if a satisfactory rate for the elec- 
tric current can be secured and if there are not too many 
electric signs already in use in the city or town. Neat 
window signs should always be in evidence, and all this 
outside display should be designed to attract the most 
notice possible in view of the location. 

We are accustomed to expensive and elaborate window 
displays in department stores, drug stores, and in many 
other lines; but the show window of the printer has been 
sadly neglected, altho it would be difficult to explain why 
a good window space should not be just as valuable to 
the printing business as to the selling of any other com- 
modity. Methods of advertising are continually changing 
for the better, but the use of the display window has only 
been increased. Merchants spend more time and money 
on window displays, but the printer goes on, taking the 
same neglectful view of the matter that he has ever taken. 
In many plants no attempt whatever is made to profit by 
the advertising of the window, and in many others a win- 
dow display is arranged about once or twice a year, so 
that for eleven-twelfths of the calendar the window is 
filled with old, dusty examples of printing that may once 
have been clean and attractive. 

In the arrangement and appearance of the office, the 
same carelessness is too often noted. Small shops devote 
one corner of the plant to a business office, made as small 
as possible to give added room to the plant, and in larger 



66 THE PRINTER S OFFICE SHOULD BE NEAT 

shops there is often plenty of room but poor arrangement 
and little attention to cleanliness and attractiveness. 

Are there any good reasons why the show window of 
the printer should not be as interest-compelling as any in 
town, and why the printer's office should not be a model 
of neatness and economical arrangement? I cannot give 
any adequate reasons why such a desirable condition 
should not exist. The cost-finding system was not very 
long in being recognized, and it has resulted in better 
order in the plant. And because it is almost equally im- 
portant that good order and attractiveness should have 
sway in the business office, it may be that the value of 
my suggestions along this line will strike a responsive 
chord among the enterprising printers, particularly those 
who have installed cost systems and thereby know what 
advantages may be derived from a new order of things. 

Much of the value of printed advertising may be nulli- 
fied by a poorly kept and unattractive window ; for if the 
work of a certain plant is made attractive by exception- 
ally good advertising, the caller, drawn in by this adver- 
tising, would have his good impressions all upset if the 
window and office presented an appearance totally at vari- 
ance with the advertisement. 

Dressing the Window 

Neither a great deal of time nor money need be spent 
to make a show window attractive. If a number of speci- 
mens of creditable work are shown, they will attract at- 
tention, but these samples get dirty very soon and must 
be frequently changed. Large picture frames with glass 
are excellent for protecting the samples from dust ; but 



SEASONABLE WINDOW DISPLAYS 67 

the glass does not protect from the sun, and both paper 
and ink will often fade after being only a few days in 
the sun. A showcase gives about the same protection to 
samples. 

In arranging to do some effective window advertising, 
it would be a good plan to arrange a display of a number 
of jobs that are similar; for instance, group a lot of book- 
lets in the window for a week. Then show society print- 
ing or engraving, and at another time catalogs or loose- 
leaf forms. Some good sign cards should also be used. It 
is not necessary to quote prices, as is customary in other 
lines, but write the copy for these cards so that they will 
be read. A good catch line, followed by a few words of 
explanation, will answer. And in these sign cards, the 
printer may well patronize the sign writer at times, be- 
cause it is cheaper to buy a hand-lettered sign card for 
fifty cents than to set it up in type and print it. The sign 
writer can use two or three colors as cheaply as one. 

Make the window display seasonable when possible. 
Show wedding stationery in June, blank books in Decem- 
ber for January delivery ; and many other kinds of print- 
ing can be advertised at an appropriate time in the win- 
dow. The glass should always be clean and the display 
protected from flies and other insects. 

There is no great secret connected with gaining atten- 
tion for a window. Any good printing that looks fresh 
and a few sign cards will make people stop and look. 

There is no cheaper advertising you can buy than your 
window space, and, used to the fullest extent, it will pay 
dividends. You have the window space anyway, and if 
you don't utilize it you are overlooking an important op» 



68 CHANGING WINDOW SIGNS 

portunity for advertising. In the big cities, large sums 
are often paid for the privilege of using a well-located 
window for a week, and there are business successes 
which have been largely possible because of the intelli- 
gent use made of the show windows in an advertising 
way. The printer, who must exercise unusually good busi- 
ness judgment to succeed, should not be so shortsighted 
as to overlook the great value his windows are to him. 

Attention can be directed to a window by putting a 
new sign card, not of an advertising nature, in the win- 
dow every morning. This might be a snappy comment in 
a sentence or two on anything of general local interest, 
a pertinent bit of philosophy, or a clever remark referring 
to an illustration on the card. If the signs are bright 
enough, it is easily possible for them to become recognized 
as a local institution and the subject of much comment. 

Suggested Copy for Sign Cards 

Even the printer who wishes to use his window space 
well may often be at a loss for some good copy for the 
sign cards which should go in every display for the help 
that they may be in making attractive a good showing of 
printed work. I give the following sentences, which may 
be used as they are, and they will suggest others equally 
appropriate : 

New blank books for the New Year. Time to order now for 
January 1 delivery. 

We make special form sheets for loose-leaf books of every make, 
and the cost is not much more than you pay for stock forms. 

Special form blank books for every business. Let us help you 
design a form for your particular needs. 



COPY FOR SIGN CARDS 69 

Dainty booklets make good advertising. These are new ones 
we have recently printed. Isn't there something in this idea of 
booklet advertising for you? 

Engraved stationery for June weddings. All the new styles of 
paper and engraving, in vogue in the East. 

Printed advertising is direct advertising — the shortest distance 
between the buyer and you. 

Prices on this kind of work are not high. Our cost-finding sys- 
tem makes our prices just what they should be. 

We know what this work actually costs and our prices are 
based on scientific system — not on guesswork. 

We stopped guessing on the price of printing long ago. We 
know now what work costs and you get the benefit of our new 
cost-finding methods. 

We want to be your printer, and we'll merit the favor if you 
will give us the opportunity to show you why we can provide sat- 
isfactory service. 

Something new in printing — we deliver work on the day and 
hour promised. 

The Appearance of the Office 
A neat, clean office should be as much a part of every 
printing plant as the attractive show window. Advertis- 
ing in its larger sense is the entire chain of impressions 
which leads a man definitely to place his order; and if the 
office is dingy, dirty and ill-arranged the chain is broken 
right there, no matter how favorable an impression of the 
business may have been created by printed advertising 
and the window display. 

An office need not be large and it need not be elabo- 
rately furnished. But every printing office can be economi- 



ARRANGEMENT OF THE OFFICE 



cally and conveniently arranged, and every one can be 
kept clean. Surely, the office should be separated from 
the working plant. In large shops this is done, but there 
are perhaps thousands of plants where the office is simply 
one corner of the composing-room, or the owner's desk 
(all there is to the office) is set next to a platen press. 

With a room, however small, set apart for the trans- 
action of the business of the plant, the occupants should 
look to the arrangement so that business may be trans- 
acted easily and quickly. A printer's stock in trade is 
largely sold by sample, and the samples of work done 
should be classified and filed so as to be easily accessible, 
but protected from dust. Vertical filing cabinets are prob- 
ably best for filing these samples, but any set of drawers 
will do, and the samples in each drawer may be subdi- 
vided with tag-board folders. 

If there is a showcase, this should occupy a front posi- 
tion with creditable, clean samples always on display. 
Society stationery, printed or engraved, belongs in a 
showcase, and if a printer caters to this class of trade he 
should provide some sort of privacy for prospective brides 
with their mothers and for all women who call to order 
social stationery. In the best stores in big eastern cities 
a private room is provided for buyers of society stationery, 
and the same idea of privacy may be carried out to some 
extent in every office handling society-stationery orders. 

The old country printshop was not expected to present 
an attractive appearance, but modern selling methods, in 
printing as well as other lines, demand that the quarters 
in which orders are taken be convenient and so arranged 
that the giving of an order is a pleasant transaction. 






PRINTED ADVERTISING NOVELTIES OF VARIOUS 

KINDS ARE WELL ADAPTED TO THE PUBLICITY 

OF THE PRINTING BUSINESS 



MMiT' mwmmmmmmwwmmwmmwmmmwm. 



IX. 

BLOTTERS AND NOVELTY ADVERTISING 

here is a wide range of advertising along 
the line of advertising blotters, desk and 
wall calendars, motto cards and many other 
printed novelties which are well adapted to 
the publicity of the printing business, and 
have often been used with signal success. 
All of these may be printed in the plant doing the adver- 
tising, and oftentimes scraps of stock may be utilized in 
this way, thus reducing the cost of production to the mini- 



m 


MMM 


m 


§ 


T 


ft 


OME 


m 






Many printers continue to use the old advertising blot- 
ter, which, it seems, will never lose its value ; and reports 
from printers who have been large users are to the effect 
that blotters are a constant source of business. They may 
be small, to fit the 6% envelop, or the larger and more 
common size, 4 x 9V2. There is also the desk blotter, which 
has the disadvantage, however, of being more expensive 
on account of taking a full sheet of stock. If you use 
desk blotters, however, among a selected few customers or 
prospects, be sure to print your advertisement on both 
sides. There is another novelty size of blotter which 

[71] 



72 MOTTO CARDS AS ADVERTISING 

might be used to good advantage because not so common. 
It is of a size just to cover the three bank checks usually 
put on a page in the checkbook, and is intended to be 
placed in the checkbook and used for blotting the checks. 

Motto cards have come into favor in connection with 
printers' advertising during the past few years, and the 
best form of these cards seems to be post-card size on any 
attractive stock, with the motto or epigram well displayed 
in the center in lines running the long way of the card, 
and a small advertisement of the printer in 6-, 8- or 10- 
point type below the motto or in one corner. This style 
might be varied by running the motto on one side and 
putting the advertisement on the reverse, in which case 
the advertising matter might properly be more extensive. 
The mottoes or other matter should be brief, catchy, and 
if they can be given local application when advertising 
for local business, so much the better. Any suggestive or 
obscene matter is entirely out of place, and should not be 
used in advertising a reputable printing house. Cards of 
this kind attract attention from a certain class, but they 
do not reflect credit upon the producer and are therefore 
objectionable. 

Folders and booklets describing some particular branch 
of service or equipment often make excellent advertising 
mediums. Illustrations help to make these attractive, and 
there is a wide range of subjects which can be advertised 
in this way perhaps better than in any other way because 
they may be made as large as desired. They should always 
represent in composition, presswork and binding the best 
that the shop can produce, and they should be mailed to 
a well-selected list of patrons or prospective buyers. 



FOLDERS AND BOOKLETS 



Some subjects which can appropriately be advertised in 
this way are indicated by the following suggested titles : 
Printing for Parcel-Post Advertising." 
Is Your Printing an Expense or an Investment?" 
"What You Ought to Know About Printing." 
No Kicks, No Delays, No Shortage — Does Your Print- 
ing Fill These Specifications?" 

A Booklet Like This Might Be Good Advertising for 
You." 

"How About Your Fall Catalog?" 
'We Are Ready to Print Your Holiday Advertising." 

Some Kinds of Calendars for Advertising 

There is a wide range of advertising calendars, and 
many printers make use of this kind of publicity at the 
beginning of each year. Calendar advertising seems to 
have somewhat lost its value in recent years. We see 
more handsome calendars now than ever before, but there 
is more competition, due to the large calendar houses that 
canvass the entire country for orders, and by using stock- 
design illustrations from original paintings produce beau- 
tiful results at prices which make them salable in large 
quantities. 

The best line of printers' calendars I ever saw has been 
produced for a number of years by a western house. These 
calendars are large wall style. In the upper half is a 
three- or four-color halftone reproduction, and below this 
are the sheets, one for each month. Back of the Decem- 
ber sheet are other sheets, having the names and addresses 
of all state and county officers. From the original paint- 
ing to the delivery of the calendars, they are the work 



74 THE SMALL DESK CALENDAR 

of the printing house which issues them, and I know they 
are in great demand by business men on the first of every 
year. They cost several thousand dollars, however, and 
it is an open question if the amount represented by the 
cost might not be better spent in some other way. 

A very popular style of calendar is a small desk pad 
with one sheet for each day of the year. This may be 
printed on print paper, with the upper half of each sheet 
blank and a couple of lines of advertising, with the name 
and address of the printer, and the day and date, on the 
lower half. These should properly be distributed late in 
December or early in January by a competent man who 
will spread them economically in the business offices of 
the territory covered. The advertising matter on the 
sheets should be varied with perhaps thirty changes of 
copy running thru the pad. This copy should cover briefly 
about every department of work handled. 

There are many other printed novelties which are used 
in an advertising way, and these are preferable for the 
printer to novelties made of celluloid or other material 
which will have to be bought outside. Post cards may be 
used for advertising, often to good advantage. A series of 
six cards, each hammering with striking copy and display 
on some one department or kind of printing, should be 
effective in connection with a follow-up campaign. One 
of the large manufacturers of office appliances has a series 
of so-called "rap-letters." There are ten or twelve of 
these letters in the series, and when a live prospect is 
secured one letter is mailed each day until the series is 
finished. The same idea might be applied to the post cards 
at half the postage and a further saving on the printing. 



novelty advertising 75 

Cigar Bands and Other Novelties 

Special cigar bands have been used by some printers 
with good success. The way to carry out this idea is to 
buy any make of cigar that you want to give away and 
then print up some cigar bands with your name and ad- 
dress and your trademark or imprint on them. Use sev- 
eral colors and cut out the bands into a regulation shape, 
with cutting rule on a press. When you wrap these spe- 
cial bands about your cigars the effect is that you have 
gone to the extent of having a special brand of cigars 
made up for your friends, customers and prospects. To 
get the best results from distributing these special-band 
cigars, they should be handed out by a salesman. They 
are sure to bring comment from those receiving them, 
and the salesman should turn their appreciation of the 
favor to account. The best thing might be to get the 
order while your prospect is smoking your cigar. 

Here is a novel little advertising idea I have seen used 
with particularly good effect. An attractive folder, printed 
in two colors (harmonious shades of green), had on the 
back page: 

Special inks with which this leaflet is printed : 

[Here followed the names and stock numbers of the inks used.] 

Shall we use them on your printing ? 

This is an idea which might be adapted in a good many 
ways to advertising matter put out in one or more colors, 
particularly those jobs run in several harmonious shades, 
well selected. 

Closing signs, to be given away, make good advertising 
matter for a printer, if you do not prefer to print the signs 



76 CLOSING SIGNS AND PENCILS 

for sale, keeping them with a stock of legal blanks or 
other sign cards. These cards read: 'This office closes at 
one o'clock Saturday afternoon during the months of June, 
July and August," or other matter appropriate to the use 
of your locality. They should be attractively printed in 
two or more colors, with border; and if intended for free 
distribution, the printer's advertisement should follow 
the notice, giving three or four lines to the announce- 
ment that the card is distributed, with or without 'the 
compliments" of the printer offering them. They should 
usually be fourteen by eleven inches, four out of the board 
used. At an additional expense for a special drawing and 
plates, very artistic and attractive signs maybe designed. 
Their value is, however, more in the effect upon those to 
whom you give them than in an advertising way. 

A pencil, printed in gold on the side with your adver- 
tisement, makes an excellent souvenir advertisement. 
These can be purchased from the large pencil manufac- 
turers, or you can now buy a small machine for printing 
the pencils yourself; and where the investment is made 
in such a machine, some business might be done in im- 
printing pencils for others. 

Envelop inclosures and package inserts are two forms 
of advertising open to the printer, whose value is more 
often overlooked than made use of. The envelop inclo- 
sures may be printed on any kind of paper, and scraps 
may often be utilized in this way. They should ordinarily 
be of a size to fit the envelop used in the office, without 
folding; and various announcements are appropriate. A 
good combination is a catchy motto or epigram on one 
side of the slip and the printer's advertisement on the 



ENVELOP INCLOSURES AND PACKAGE INSERTS 77 

other. By sending out these inclosures with the monthly 
statements, almost every regular patron can be reached. 
Of course these people are buyers anyway, but it is possi- 
ble to increase their purchases by interesting them in the 
various departments of work. 

Package inserts come under the same heading as en- 
velop inclosures, and every package leaving the shop 
should carry one or more of these little advertisements. 
A printed advertising blotter makes a good insert for 
packages of letterheads and other forms to be written on. 
The copy should be bright and interesting, and the mat- 
ter should be set in appropriate display rather than as 
straight matter. 

The following suggest the kind of copy to use on cards, 
blotters and similar advertising where brevity is desired: 

It's not so much what you pay for printing as what you get for 
what you pay. 

Business is good and is a mighty good place to 

do business in. 

Direct advertising is the shortest distance between two points 
— your location and the buyer. 

Remember — it is worth something to live in 

We can make your printing boost your business, no matter 
what your business is. 

Poor printing costs almost as much as the best, but the poor 
kind may be worthless, while good printing may be a life-saver. 

Honor the printer — a little anyway. You couldn't do business 
without him. 

What must we do to get your orders? We've called and we've 
written nice letters, and once we telephoned. Tomorrow at ten 



78 



COPY FOR WALL CARDS 



o'clock we will send you a wireless. Get your receiving station 
ready. 

Ask the man who has moved away from this town what he 
would give to get back. 

The following copy, used by B. F. Calkins, Butte, 
Mont., is an excellent illustration of the kind of matter 
for envelop inclosures, package slips or cards. It is in an 
optimistic vein, tending to inspire confidence in business 
conditions: 

Keep Money Circulating 

The spirit of confidence can be made contagious, but not by 
merely talking about it. A man would rather see a check in his 
morning mail than read a learned editorial about the return of 
confidence. And if he takes that check and sends it along so that 
one or more men share it tomorrow morning, he is doing more to 
restore normal conditions than the man who only tells his friends 
to cheer up. Somebody has the money, it's in the country and 
will stay here. Don't let us play "Button, Button, Who's Got 
the Button?" any longer. 



Here is copy for another card, 
along somewhat different lines: 



also optimistic, but 



A Prosperity Creed 

First. — I will dispel from my mind any thoughts of hard times. 

Second. — I believe there is more to be gained by push and 
aggressiveness than by idle talk. 

Third. — I believe times are what we make them. I will add my 
influence toward making them good. 

Fourth. — I will not allow the investment I have in my business 
to remain idle. 

Fifth. — I am going to get rid of old stock and restock with new. 

Sixth. — I am going to run my business on business principles. 

Are you with me? 



iFwwwwmnrnrr^nnnmw^inrc^rnr^n mw^rninm 



THE PRINTER SHOULD USUALLY CONFINE HIS 

PUBLICITY EFFORTS TO PRINTED MATTER EVEN 

WHEN BILLBOARDS ARE USED 



mJMJIZZKjZZZKJZ^^ 



X. 



BILLBOARDS AND OTHER MEDIUMS 



immnm 



H 



he comparative value of various advertising 
mediums is something which the advertis- 
ing printer must consider in common with 
all other advertisers; and, under the stress 
of persistent solicitation, it is quite easy 
to make mistakes in selecting advertising 
mediums — mediums which, upon superficial examination, 
might be expected to prove profitable. 

For the reason that printed advertising is to the printer 
the least expensive kind, he should usually confine his 
publicity efforts to printed matter, altho this is perhaps 
the only reason that could be urged in favor of printed ad- 
vertising as opposed to some other mediums which have 
proved profitable for many advertisers. Newspaper adver- 
tising should be good publicity for the printer, however, 
whether he publishes the newspaper himself or not. 

I do not favor the use of painted billboards for print- 
ers' advertising, and I recently saw a strong argument in 
favor of printed advertising as compared with the painted 
billboard, which argument was advanced by a printing 
house, perhaps without thinking of the rather illogical 

[79] 



80 PRINTED POSTERS ON BILLBOARDS 

effect of the statement. Upon a large billboard space was 
painted the advertisement of this printer, and conspicuous 
in the copy was the sentence, If you will give us an audi- 
ence we will convince you." The billboard was located 
on a prominent corner, past which many street cars and 
throngs of pedestrians and other travelers were continually 
moving, and the location would seem to have provided a 
large audience; yet the printer was, in effect, admitting 
that he could not convince this audience of the merits of 
his work thru the medium of the billboard. It is a true 
principle of advertising that most buyers must be con- 
vinced thru argument, and it is equally true that argu- 
ments along this line can be best presented on the printed 
page. 

Printed posters would seem to be a better form of ad- 
vertising to place on the billboards than the painted 
sign, but my observation has been that billboards are not 
generally used by printers thruout the country. Perhaps 
sometime an enterprising printing house will successfully 
carry thru a whirlwind campaign of advertising with a 
series of posters so striking as to produce a large volume 
of business, but I do not know of any instance where this 
has been done. 

Billboards have always appealed to me as being best 
used for the advertising of some commodity which is on 
sale in practically every grocery or drug store. In order 
to be read, a billboard advertisement must contain only 
a comparatively few words in large type. It is not the 
place for arguments, but in connection with other forms 
of advertising it may be useful in making the names of 
brands, trademarks, etc., familiar to the public. 



ADVERTISING IN PROGRAMS 



For and Against Program Advertising 

Program advertising is something we have always with 
us. There are the regular theatrical programs published 
every week, and the occasional programs of amateur en- 
tertainments, picnics, lodge and society affairs; and the 
printer is as often solicited to use advertising of this kind 
as any other business man. The actual value of such ad- 
vertising, especially the one-time program, promoted by 
personal enterprise, is questionable. I have often been 
surprised at the audacity of amateur solicitors who would 
urgently request a printer to buy space in a program 
which was to be printed in some other shop. In view of 
the indefinite value of some of this advertising, printers 
will do well to go slow in spending money for this sort 
of publicity. A good rule to adopt, and one which I have 
several times noted in successful operation, is to refuse to 
buy space in any program printed in another shop. The 
printer who is doing the work can hardly refuse to use a 
small space, at least, on the basis of co-operation ; but he 
always has a good reason handy for refusing to advertise 
in all other programs. 

The regular weekly program of well-established theaters 
might be profitable in some cases, but in view of the 
rates usually charged I should prefer to spend the money 
in newspaper advertising or other printed matter. 

When an advertisement is placed in a program merely 
to please some individual, or for charitable purposes, the 
money spent should not be considered as legitimate adver- 
tising expense, but should be charged to charity, or should 
be considered in the nature of an expense account used to 



STREET-CAR CARDS 



secure the business of the individual who is thus favored. 
In many cities the merchants have organized, thru some 
civic body or a commercial club, to protect themselves 
against being persuaded to advertise in mediums which 
they cannot consistently favor, and the advertising printer 
might do well to ally himself with some such organiza- 
tion. The plan usually carried out is for every member to 
agree not to patronize any advertising medium unless it 
has a recommendation from the investigating committee 
of the organization. The solicitor for such a medium then 
finds it almost impossible to secure business until he has 
presented the details of the proposition to the commit- 
tee, which investigates the matter thoroly and either 
recommends the medium in an open letter given to the 
promoter, or refuses to recommend, in which case the 
promoter would not care for a letter. 

There are other ways of avoiding the foolish expendi- 
ture of money without offense. One is to refer all solici- 
tors to an advertising representative located outside the 
printer's business office. 

Car Cards for Printers 

Street-car cards are another form of advertising which 
has not met with much favor with the printing trade. 
Car advertising is similar in many respects to the bill- 
board. The size of the cards and the nature of the audi- 
ence are such that few arguments can be presented; and 
while the printer might print his own cards, it seems to 
me that the money paid for the publicity might be bet- 
ter spent in other ways, except, perhaps, in connection 
with a large campaign involving a considerable expendi- 



WORK THAT SHOULD BE FEATURED 83 

ture of money, in which case a consistent use of many 
advertising mediums might be profitably made. 

When the printer wishes to use mediums such as pro- 
grams, billboards, car cards and similar methods, my sug- 
gestion is that there be little attempt to present argu- 
ments within this space, but rather devote it to familiar- 
izing the public with the name, address and imprint or 
trademark of the printer, together with a brief statement 
regarding the facilities for doing certain lines of work; 
and in advertising of this kind, as in all kinds of adver- 
tising, the statements made should be truthful and with- 
out undue exaggeration. 

If the plant is equipped for producing creditable color 
printing, this kind of work might be featured; and in 
the case of street-car cards, a sample of the w r ork might 
be shown by pasting on the card a sheet of color work 
from some recent job. Such advertising is hardly the 
place for quoting prices, but other attractive advantages 
may be featured in the space. 

Such general publicity might be adapted to advertising 
the printing of books, for in every city and town there 
are persons who wish to publish some sort of book of their 
own writings on their own responsibility, and I have noted 
that these amateur authors and book publishers are often 
at a loss to locate a printer who makes a specialty of book- 
work. This class of customers can perhaps be reached in 
this way as well as in any other. 

Quality printing should be the keynote of most gen- 
eral publicity of this kind. Everybody wants good print- 
ing, and frequent repetition of assertion of ability in this 
line is bound to have some effect. 



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THE COST SYSTEM MAY PROPERLY TAKE AN 


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ADVERTISING 


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XL 



ADVERTISING THE COST SYSTEM 




n elaborate cost-finding system may be 
made a valuable advertising asset of a print- 
ing plant if it is properly exploited. It is 
not necessary, in order to turn a cost system 
to account, to explain to the public all the 
workings of the system, nor to make public 
any information which the customer is not entitled to 
know ; but the installing of a cost system is evidence of 
better business methods, and as such the fact may prop- 
erly take a rather important place in the firm's plan of 
advertising. 

We have heard a great deal during the past few years 
about a better knowledge of costs, more accurate methods 
of determining and recording costs, and the reformation 
of the printing trade in general. Much has been accom- 
plished along these lines, and the trade has undoubtedly 
benefited largely from the agitation of these subjects. A 
cost-finding system alone, however, does not mean that 
the printing house using the system will be successful. 
Continuous orders are needed to keep the plant running, 
and it is in the selling department that advertising should 

[84] 



FRANKNESS AND TRUTHFULNESS 85 

take a permanent place. The advertising done by the aver- 
age American printer is as open to criticism as his busi- 
ness methods regarding costs have been in the past, and 
if a better knowledge of costs is, as has been said, the 
first step in the reformation of the printing business, the 
second step may well be more and better advertising; and 
the idea suggested by this chapter heading is that the two 
go hand in hand. 

When a printer installs an accurate cost-finding sys- 
tem, he expects to profit largely from the resulting better 
knowledge of costs ; but if it is a valuable thing to him 
to know exactly what every kind of work costs to produce, 
it is also valuable to his customer and the public to know 
that the printer knows what his work costs. Some of the 
largest buyers of printing have been aware for a long time 
that printers' information on costs was a deficient quan- 
tity, and this lack of knowledge has often been taken 
advantage of in buying printing at or below cost of manu- 
facture. 

Frankness and truthfulness should enter largely into all 
printers' advertising, and the advertisement which frankly 
states that a cost-finding system is in operation, and ex- 
plains something of the benefits to both buyer and printer 
of such a s.vstem, will carry an impression of sincerity that 
cannot be gained by every style of advertising. 

The advertising of a cost system may be also used as 
an argument against patronizing cut-rate printers," and 
this may be done without making the motive appear too 
selfish a one. The argument in such an advertisement 
should be along the line that the reasonable buyer of print- 
ing wants good work, and that he is willing to pay a fair 



86 SHOULD BE FREQUENTLY REFERRED TO 

price for it. It is then easy to explain that no price is fair 
unless it is based upon the actual or correctly estimated 
cost of the work, plus a reasonable percentage of profit. 
Then it can be shown that the cost-finding system is the 
one and only way of knowing exactly what work does 
cost. Another point which may be brought out in advis- 
ing against cheap printing" is that the printer who is 
continually cutting prices never stays long in business, be- 
cause his methods are unbusinesslike and not calculated 
to give continued satisfaction to his customers nor to pro- 
duce a profit for himself. 

The cost-finding system should not only be announced 
when it is first installed, but it should be frequently re- 
ferred to in the printer's advertising. It may be adver- 
tised in newspapers, house-organs, form letters, circulars 
and envelop inserts; and by frequent references to the 
system, the impression may be stamped upon the minds 
of the public in the territory reached that this advertising 
printer knows his own business — certainly a valuable rep- 
utation to have. 

Advertising the Equipment 

Printers frequently have difficulty in selecting some- 
thing to write about when preparing advertising copy, 
and as a helpful suggestion along this line, let me empha- 
size that modern printing methods are not generally un- 
derstood by the public, and anything you may say about 
your equipment as a part of an advertisement makes inter- 
esting matter. Following are some suggested paragraphs 
which may be used in making up advertisements in which 
it is desired to incorporate something about your plant : 

Our monotype department is equipped with a battery of the 



ADVERTISING THE EQUIPMENT 87 

latest monotype casting machines and keyboards, with matrices 
for all the latest styles of type-faces from six- to thirty-six-point. 
The monotype automatically casts individual types, and, while 
casting, automatically sets them to any form previously mapped 
out by the keyboard. 

Our linotypes, in conjunction with our monotypes, make a com- 
plete department for machine composition. Bookwork, and all 
work coming under the head of straight matter, is handled on the 
linotype rapidly and economically. With these facilities we are 
enabled to show a complete proof, in one instalment if necessary, 
no matter how large the work may be. 

We have presses, both platen and cylinder, that were built for 
quality printing, and we have pressmen who know how to get 
quality from them. The chemistry of printing has been studied 
and we are able to secure from ink and paper results that can- 
not be had without the knowledge thus obtained. Few persons 
realize the extent of study necessary to produce good printing. 
We have the equipment and the men to operate it. We are at 
your service. 

The purchase of an offset press affords a splendid op- 
portunity for advertising the product of this process, and 
particularly for familiarizing the buying public with the 
use of halftones on rough stock for covers, folders, etc. 

A progressive western printing concern advertised its 
lithographing department on a dainty folder in two colors 
with copy something like this: 

We use a new method of lithographing that is economical, has 
a wider range and greater utility than the old style of lithograph- 
ing. By this process you can inexpensively lithograph catalog 
covers on rough "cover" stock, and use halftones if you wish. 

Our lithographers have done some very beautiful work for our 
customers. If you would let us show some of this lithographing, 
you would probably get an entirely new conception of the value 
of lithography to you and your business. 



88 



SUGGESTED COPY 



The following copy may be taken as a model of the way 
in which the cost system may be handled in the adver- 
tising. It may be used in whole or in part, or certain 
ideas and paragraphs may be used in building a form let- 
ter or an advertisement for a newspaper or house-organ. 

The heading and introduction should secure attention 
from the reader because almost every buyer of printing 
thinks he knows something of prices, and many of them 
are dissatisfied with the prices they are paying or with the 
service they are getting. If the copy is too long, it may 
be condensed to carry most of the ideas in brief form. 

The Price of Printing 

Are you satisfied with the prices you are paying for your print- 
ing, and with the printing you are getting for your money ? The 
matter of printing values is a big, broad subject, and includes 
much more than what may be considered merely low price. What 
you really want, and what every successful business man wants, 
is satisfactory printing, promptly delivered, and at a reasonable 
price. 

The printing of any business enterprise figures largely in its 
success or failure. It is a commodity for which you pay consid- 
erable money in a year. Much of it is used for advertising pur- 
poses, and all of your printing should be such that it carries with 
it a good impression of your business, or it does not fulfill its mis- 
sion. We believe that every business man is willing to pay a fair 
price for printing which satisfies him in every particular, but the 
trouble often is the difficulty of assuring him what the right price 
is. You know that you cannot expect to buy the highest class of 
work at the lowest price, but when estimates from different print- 
ers on the same job of work vary considerably, it is hard to select 
the printer who will actually deliver the best value for the money 
paid. 

This house realized this difficulty in buying and selling of print- 
ing a number of years ago, and we took steps to eliminate, so far 



PRICES WHICH ARE CORRECT 89 

as possible, all guesswork regarding the cost and value of the 
product of our plant. Much of the variation in the prices on print- 
ing occurs because the printer himself does not know what the 
product costs. This being the case, the prices are not proportion- 
ate, being sometimes higher, and often lower, than they should 
be. We decided, as far as our own business was concerned, that 
we must know the absolute cost of every job of printing produced, 
and to this end we installed, at considerable expense, an accurate 
cost-finding system in every department of our plant; and the 
result of the operation of this system for several years past has 
proved to us its value and accuracy. A cost-finding system of 
this kind is the first step toward harmonious and satisfactory 
business relations between the printer and his customers, and we 
now know what every job of printing that we do costs to produce, 
so that from our records we are able to estimate the probable 
cost of work very accurately before it is produced. We have also 
eliminated waste of time and material, and have reduced our 
working cost more or less thru this systematic method of record- 
ing the cost of material and time entering into our work. 

We are therefore able to quote prices which are correct in that 
they are based on a moderate percentage of profit over the cost 
of production; and we wish to say that this percentage is perhaps 
less than your own estimated profit on the goods you are selling. 
When you ask us for a price on a certain job of printing, you may 
be assured that our quotation has been made after a careful esti- 
mate of the work, and that placing the order with us insures the 
delivery of the job in good condition and at the time promised. 
We do not substitute a cheaper product for the one asked for, 
and you get full count, all spoiled sheets being thrown out before 
delivering. We do not claim that we are the only house where 
these conditions prevail, but we do say to you that no other printer 
in this city can deliver you the same high class of work at a price 
materially lower than ours. Did you ever notice that the "cut- 
price" printer, whose principal inducement for your business is 
low prices, usually conducts a small, inefficient plant, and that 
usually for only a short time ? We advertise quality and value in 
our printing, and we tell you now that our prices are consistent 



90 



PLANT ADEQUATELY EQUIPPED 



with the quality of the work delivered and the general service 
which enters into the filling of every order we receive. 

Is it not worth something to you to be convinced in your own 
mind that these statements are true? If you are a patron, you 
know that we have not exaggerated the facts in the above para- 
graphs. Many of our patrons have been regular customers for 
years. A few of them have been with us since our business was 
established. If you have never ordered any printing from us, why 
not prove to your own satisfaction that we can take care of your 
printing orders with a little better service than you are now re- 
ceiving, and at prices which meet with your approval because 
you know that they are based upon actual cost records, and are 
not high today, and low tomorrow, as is the case with some print- 
ing houses? The success of our business depends upon the good- 
will of our patrons, and good-will can only be secured by giving 
value received for every dollar spent. 

Our plant is adequately equipped for almost every variety of 
printing and binding for commercial purposes; and we have ad- 
vantages in the purchase of raw materials, such as paper, ink, 
etc., and also in the economical management of our plant, which 
are not possessed by all printers. We are willing to share these 
advantages with our customers, and if we can make your business 
acquaintance thru filling your first order for printing with us to 
your complete satisfaction, we shall feel that we have made a 
permanent customer. Your interests are ours to a great extent, 
and we care much more for your continued patronage in our line 
than for the profit upon a single order. 

Why not call us up and let us talk with you about your next 
printing order? Our salesmen are experienced men who will not 
waste your time, but will take an order in an intelligent, under- 
standing manner, or will quote you prices from careful estimates ; 
and, as we have said before, both our prices and our estimates 
are correct in so far as they represent the absolute cost of the 
work, plus a small percentage of profit, neither too high, nor too 
low, in accordance with our information and experience in the 
cost of production in our various departments. 



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SIGNAL SUCCESSES HAVE BEEN BUILT UP BY 

CONCENTRATED EFFORT ON SOME KIND OF 

PRINTING 



XII. 

DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES 



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KXXXj!^ 



printing plant, like a newspaper, is a valu- 
able property aside from the business that it 
may be doing, because it may be used in so 
many ways' in furthering new ventures and 
in developing opportunities for business. 
There are opportunities in every city and 
town for the printer to turn to his profitable account, and 
if he is quick to see them and to develop their possibilities 
he can often realize large profits from lines that depend to 
a large extent upon printing. 

Specializing on some particular kind of work affords an 
excellent opening for a printer to enlarge the scope of 
his regular job business, and some signal successes have 
been built up by a concentrated effort upon some kind of 
printing that in itself might be done by any ordinary 
shop, but which most shops do not particularly solicit nor 
advertise. 

Some Printing Specialty Lines That Win 

To mention a few of the lines which may be developed 
by specializing on them and advertising them are the 

[01 1 



92 



DRUGGISTS LABELS 



printing of special-form index cards for various kinds of 
business, small labels for druggists and other business 
houses, special-form blank books for particular purposes, 
the setting of newspaper and magazine advertisements, 
the making of rubber stamps, program publishing and 
legal blanks. 

To cite a few instances of how these things may be 
worked out, a small job shop that was not making much 
money was bought by a man with a single idea, which 
was druggists' labels. He solicited local orders, adver- 
tised with frequent mailings for out-of-town orders and 
issued a small catalog. In a few years he developed a 
highly profitable business on these labels and a few other 
lines, such as small boxes, which he added later. And 
the man I have in mind told me that he had more trouble 
in building up his trade in his home town than in secur- 
ing the orders of out-of-town patrons, which is surely a 
strong argument for the printed advertising that he used 
for his mail orders. 

Another concern with which I am familiar built up a 
desirable business with a line of special- form listing cards 
for real-estate dealers. 

The setting of advertisements for large advertisers and 
advertising agencies is a field where there are good chances 
for business in the larger cities. An advertising man told 
me, "The ordinary printer doesn't know how to set an 
advertisement," and this opinion is more or less common 
to persons who write copy and prepare advertising cam- 
paigns. When an advertiser appropriates several hundred 
or thousand dollars for a publicity campaign, he not only 
wants the copy well written but he wants the advertise- 



SETTING OF ADVERTISEMENTS 93 

ment well displayed in every paper or magazine that prints 
it. To get this latter result he must send a proof of the 
advertisement, set just as he wants it, to every publica- 
tion in which it is ordered, and the printer who can show 
such an advertiser that he can set these advertisements 
promptly and with a proper idea of display will not have 
much difficulty in securing all the work of this kind that 
is needed, even tho the advertiser has some other printer 
doing all his other work. 

In every city and town of considerable size there is 
one firm that is known for the legal blanks which it pub- 
lishes, and prestige of this kind is a valuable asset. Right 
advertising combined with attention to the legal-blank 
needs of the community is what gives a house such a rep- 
utation, and the opportunity is present in many localities 
for some printer to enter this legal-blank business and 
build it up to large proportions. By advertising to lawyers 
and others who use many blanks and by securing agents 
among stationers or other dealers, a continually increas- 
ing sale may be secured. To indicate the extent of the 
legal-blank business, I know of a printing house which 
recently paid their attorneys one thousand dollars to go 
over their stock of forms and revise them in accordance 
with new state laws. 

Getting Out of the Rut 
The ordinary printer doing an ordinary job business 
should look around for these openings, where by some 
special attention to the requirements and by judicious 
advertising he may become known as the leader in cer- 
tain lines of work. Any specialty, such as those men- 



94 



SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES 



tioned, depends to a greater or less extent upon adver- 
tising to carry it to a point where the profits amount to 
a considerable part of the year's business, but the same 
presses that produce the selling product may be utilized 
for printing the advertising matter that makes the sales. 
No other trade but printing has this advantage. 

Special opportunities for increased business and profits 
are not lacking if the mind is alert to see them. A great 
catastrophe, like a fire destroying the business section of 
the city, will keep those printers who go after the busi- 
ness in the right way busy for months afterward. When 
the earthquake and fire at San Francisco destroyed hun- 
dreds of business houses, a printing house in Denver, 
Colo., secured thousands of dollars' worth of work from 
these California firms. It was a case where one man's 
misfortune was another's good luck ; but it was not luck 
that brought to this particular Denver firm the large vol- 
ume of business. It was rather enterprise, reputation and 
advertising. 

Advertising should always be timely and pertinent to 
the occasion. There are, of course, many kinds of print- 
ing on which there is no closed season. There is a fairly 
constant demand for letterheads and commercial station- 
ery. But there are other lines of work which can best be 
advertised at certain seasons of the year. For instance, 
advertise special-form blank books in December for de- 
livery the first of the year. Printing for holiday advertis- 
ing should be solicited by advertising early in December, 
and printed advertising for spring and summer openings 
should be solicited, as well as advertised, a few weeks 
before time to use them. An advertising agency in one of 



COMMERCIAL CLUBS 95 

our western cities, that makes a specialty of printing and 
distributing circulars and cards by cooperative mailing, 
watches the New York and Chicago papers for seasonable 
suggestions to turn over to its patrons and finds it pays to 
keep track of goods advertised in the big eastern cities. 

The Rotarian clubs, which have become popular in 
many cities, should afford an opportunity for the printer 
to ally his interests with those of the other members. The 
members of these clubs are mutually helpful in a business 
way, and the printer should be able to profit as much as 
members in any other lines of trade. 

Whenever the chamber of commerce or some other 
commercial body starts out on a boosting campaign for 
home trade, the printer can cooperate in a way to benefit 
himself. He may at small expense print and distribute 
literature directed toward increasing the consumption of 
home-made goods in his city and at the same time em- 
phasize the advantages of patronizing his particular plant 
for printing. 

To be the head of a successful printing plant requires 
a high order of intelligence and enterprise, and both ought 
to be apparent in the advertising of the concern. The 
printing plant has its own equipment to advertise its busi- 
ness, and presses should be liberally utilized in produc- 
ing advertising for printing orders. Who ever heard of a 
printer who devoted one day each month in every depart- 
ment of his shop to printing advertising of his own busi- 
ness? Yet this would only amount to about four per cent 
of the total production of the month, and many businesses 
in other lines spend much more than four per cent of 
their gross sales for advertising purposes. A printer need 



96 



DIRECT ADVERTISING 



not, perhaps, use newspapers and magazines so freely as 
other advertisers, but he has subject to his absolute con- 
trol the facilities for producing at the minimum of cost 
the very best form of all publicity — direct advertising, 
printed matter to be sent direct to the one whose busi- 
ness is desired. And if such advertising is intelligently 
carried on, consistently and persistently, the results will 
be surprisingly large to the printer who has never tried 
it. The advertising should not be general but directed to 
some particular phase of work, specialized to a fine point. 
We used to see advertisements, and sometimes do yet, 
reading something like this : John Harper. Book and 
job printing. Estimates furnished on application." It is 
not surprising that advertising like this does not pay. The 
successful advertiser must talk honestly and convincingly 
about one particular kind of printing. It must say some- 
thing interesting, and should convince the reader that the 
printer advertising has special knowledge and equipment 
for producing this kind of work better than the ordinary 
printer. Such advertising will and does pay. It pays bet- 
ter than any solicitor you ever had. It works while you 
sleep and brings orders when you least expect them. 






Boosting for Home Trade 
There are great possibilities for increasing the amount 
of money spent for printing in any town or city if the 
printers will cooperate, preferably thru their local organ- 
ization, with the printing-trade unions in impressing upon 
the people of that locality the importance of buying their 
printing from their home-town printers. 

A campaign of this kind was waged in Denver, Colo., 



BOOSTING HOME TRADE 97 

by the local organization of master printers and the vari- 
ous printing and allied trade unions of that city. An open 
letter was addressed to the Denver Chamber of Commerce, 
soliciting their aid, and the matter was taken up by the 
local newspapers, all boosting for the one thing of keep- 
ing local business houses from buying their printing out 
of town. Good reasons were given why the printing of 
these Denver business men should go to Denver printing 
plants, and the results certainly justified the effort. 

Following this campaign, one of the leading printers 
put out an attractive folder, explaining the matter and 
closing with a strong advertisement for business on the 
ground that his house was equipped to handle any print- 
ing of any kind originating in Denver. This was taking 
advantage of the opportunity presented to profit by the 
agitation of the subject, and it is plain to see that in a 
general campaign of this kind the printing houses which 
will profit the most will usually be those taking the most 
active part in the propaganda. 

Following is a copy of the open letter that was sent to 
the Chamber of Commerce, showing the way in which the 
matter was presented: 

Gentlemen : 

The undersigned, representing the largest industry in Denver, 
wish to call your attention to the following : 

Denver business houses are purchasing annually from eastern 
printers more than one million dollars' worth of printed matter. 
Yet the printing plants of this city are fully capable of produc- 
ing, at a reasonable cost, everything that is made for Denver 
business firms by eastern printers. 

There is, therefore, no real excuse for buying printing outside 
of Denver. Aside from patriotic motives of loyalty to Denver's 



AN OPEN LETTER 



industries, the business men of the city have a narrow view of 
the subject if they believe they gain by sending printing orders 
to the East. 

The removal of one million dollars cash each year from this 
city represents an actual loss, because there is no exchange of 
trade on the part of the eastern printers with Denver stores and 
factories. 

How many Denver firms can say they receive orders from east- 
ern printers or their employees ? 

The vital point of this subject is : if Denver business men have 
all their printing done in Denver, seven hundred more workmen 
would be needed by local printing plants to turn out the work. 

Seven hundred extra employees in the printing trades would 
spend their wages of $575,000 a year with Denver firms. The 
printing plants would be put to other expense that would total at 
least $275,000 — all representing just that much more business 
for Denver mercantile and manufacturing concerns. 

Population would eventually be increased twenty-five hundred 
by the coming to Denver of printing-trades workers with their 
families. 

We feel that the earnest cooperation of the Denver Chamber 
of Commerce is merited by the importance of this movement to 
keep Denver business within the boundaries of the city. The en- 
ergy of your organization, so splendidly manifested in attracting 
factories to Denver, should work for the accomplishment of the 
object stated. 

This is a big thing — big enough to enlist the aid of the biggest 
men of the city. Because it means the same result, it is surely 
of as much importance as the endeavor to bring twenty -five hun- 
dred more people to Denver; it would be the same as if you 
brought to Denver a factory employing seven hundred workmen 
of the highest type — a factory whose pay roll would amount to 
$575,000 a year, with additional Denver expenditures of $275,000 
a year. 

We are convinced that the spirit and work you would put into 
an effort to secure such a large factory for Denver could be con- 
sistently exercised in this case. 



KEEPING ORDERS AT HOME 99 

A million dollars spent in paying for Denver printing is re- 
turned to Denver business houses in natural exchange. A million 
dollars spent in paying for eastern printing is a million dollars 
taken out of Denver's pockets and never seen again. 

We urge that your organization formulate ways and means of 
taking definite steps to concentrate attention upon this problem 
of bringing Denver business men to a realization of the benefits of 
keeping their printing orders at home. 

Respectfully submitted, 






MANY MISUNDERSTANDINGS MIGHT BE AVOIDED 

IF THE PUBLIC UNDERSTOOD THE PROCESSES OF 

A PRINTING PLANT 



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XIII. 

INFORMING THE PUBLIC 

he printing trade may never unanimously 
agree upon the question, How much ought 
the customer to know or to be told regard- 
ing the details of this exceptionally complex 
manufacturing business ? Every printer ad- 
mits that there are certain details of cost 
and manufacture which are not rightfully the property of 
the public ; and, on the other side, all admit that many 
misunderstandings and costly errors might be avoided if 
the general public understood better the processes carried 
out in a modern printing plant. On many other points it 
remains an open question as to just how much information 
regarding printing should be given to the general public 
which buys it. 

Any information regarding printing which it may be 
advisable to furnish to customers, prospects or the general 
public comes under the heading of advertising, and while 
the ordinary printer may not feel like paying for news- 
paper space in which to inform his prospective patrons 
of some things, the knowledge of which will eventually 
benefit printer and patrons alike, there are other methods 

[ 100] 



HOW TO ORDER PRINTING 101 

of disseminating this information, such as house-organs, 
folders, booklets, envelop inserts, etc. , which are cheaper ; 
and these mediums will answer the same purpose. 

One of the things which it is to the advantage of the 
printer for his customer to know is how to order printing, 
and the public should be educated not to buy printing on 
a bet, as too many times many seem to do. They order 
printing from the house making the lowest quotation with- 
out knowing whether or not this plant can produce the 
kind of work wanted. Ninety-nine cents in a bid looks so 
much better than one dollar to them that they apparently 
overlook every other consideration. When a printer quotes 
a price that is very materially lower than the estimates 
of a half-dozen other printers, the customer who places 
the order at the low price is quite sure to be disappointed ; 
and the printer will have his troubles also, either in a 
loss on the job or in complaints that the work is not up 
to the standard expected. This is not a speculation, but 
is an actual condition in hundreds of cases that occur in 
every city of the United States, and on every business 
day of the year. If the printer would be more honest in 
his advertising and in his business, he would often save 
himself much trouble. And it should be made plain, as 
occasions arise, to all buyers of printing that high quality 
and low price do not usually travel together. Strictly 
truthful advertising will help to bring about a better con- 
dition of things along this line. It is not good business 
judgment for the printer with a small job shop to solicit 
work which he cannot handle, either thru lack of capital 
or of equipment; and it has not infrequently occurred 
that one especially large job which was expected to con- 



102 



CHANGES FROM COPY 



tribute to the success of a small plant has proved a calam- 
ity that ended in bankruptcy. 

Some of the things which can properly be explained 
to customers, either personally or thru advertising, are 
that changes from copy made on proofs will be charged 
for ; that printing has to be made after it is ordered, and 
that the buyer who anticipates his needs will get better 
work and better service than the one whose orders are 
always "rush" orders; that all work requires some time 
for drying before delivering; that consistent estimates 
cannot be made without seeing the copy; and that com- 
plete specifications always bring better results than care- 
less or indefinite orders. 

The ordinary proofreader's marks should be explained 
to buyers where they are not known, and envelops carry- 
ing proofs or the proof sheets themselves should carry 
plain directions for marking and returning. 

Some of the things which need not and should not be 
made public are the exact cost of a job and the exact time 
required to produce any part of it, any time- or money- 
saving method of production due to doubling forms or other 
foresight, and any details of production which cut the cost 
of work without affecting the quality of the product. 

Under this general heading of information for the pub- 
lic, I wish to emphasize the folly of advertising cut prices 
or rush" work. Prices are often too low, and almost 
every printer has more ' 'rush' ' work than he ought to have, 
so why advertise two evils further? 

A neat folder, containing the proper card sizes for call- 
ing cards and also samples of the various styles of type 
or copperplate engraving, makes an excellent advertise- 



ANNOUNCING NEW EQUIPMENT 103 

ment of society printing or engraving ; and advertisements 
of this kind have a long life because they are kept for in- 
formation on styles. 

The addition of new type-faces, borders or ornaments 
can be nicely announced to the public by means of a card, 
folder or booklet, making use of the new material. For 
instance, if a printer has purchased some new shaded type 
series and gray-tone borders, a very attractive folder can 
be designed using both type and border and suggesting 
some uses for which they would be appropriate on cus- 
tomers' printing. Many buyers like to utilize new styles 
while they are fresh for the unusual effects that may be ob- 
tained, and, properly presented, information of this kind 
is one of the best forms of advertising. 

The adding of new machinery equipment or new de- 
partments to a plant should be announced to all regular 
patrons who might possibly be interested, and to prospec- 
tive buyers to whom the information regarding the added 
machinery or facilities might be interesting. 

The ability to provide private watermarked stationery 
at a moderate price, due to recent improvements in the 
manufacture of paper, is another subject which appeals to 
a certain desirable class of trade. Trademarks and pictures 
of buildings or other subjects may now be pressed into the 
paper in the making, thus providing additional advertis- 
ing in a novel way upon letterheads and other papers with 
a writing surface. The private watermarked paper can be 
sold if it is advertised, and it is one of those things which 
the public knows little about until the printer explains it 
in his advertising. 

In advertising printing for other advertisers, such as 



104 



MEASUREMENT OF MANUSCRIPT 



the setting of copy, booklet and catalog printing, etc., an 
excellent novelty which has a long life upon the desk of 
the prospect is a card, blotter or other small form on which 
is printed a table of information showing the space that 
certain numbers of words will occupy when set in various 
common sizes of type. Other similar figures can be added 
to make the table really valuable. The following shows 
one way in which this matter can be arranged: 



Size 

of 

type 



Square inches 
in 1,000 
ems 



Ems in 

square 

inch 

256 

207.3 

171.36 

144.7 

105.8 

81 

64 

51.84 

42.837 

36 



Solid 
82 
60 
52 
47 
38 
32 
27 
21 
17 
14 



Words in 
square inch 

Leaded 



57 
44 
40 
34 
27 
23 
20 
16 
14 
11 



4 1 / 2 -point 3.91 

5-point 4.82 

5V 2 -point 5.84 

6 -point 6.94 

7-point 9.45 

8-point 12.35 

9-point 15.63 

10-point 19.29 

11 -point 23.34 

12-point 27.78 

The following copy is suggested as appropriate matter 
to print in any desired form to familiarize the general pub- 
lic with the correct ordering of printing : 
How Do You Order Printing? 

Many people seem to order printing on a bet. They bet with 
themselves that they can buy it at so low a price that the printer 
is bound to lose money. They win on that. But about as often 
they lose in the quality of the work they receive. 

You cannot buy something for nothing, not even when order- 
ing printing. And in the very nature of things you cannot secure 
the best work for the lowest price. You cannot even afford to 
patronize the printer whose prices are so low that his days in 
business are numbered. 

We are assuming that you agree with us in this matter, and the 
foregoing is only preliminary to a few suggestions on the proper 
ordering of printing to avoid friction between yourself and your 



UGGESTED COPY 105 






printer and to enable you to get the best possible service in ac- 
curate work, well done and promptly delivered. 

It is of first importance that all orders for printing go thru one 
man's hands. An experienced, responsible man can handle all 
your orders better than a half-dozen men can, buying for various 
departments. 

Detailed specifications when ordering are equally important. 
When you order a job, tell your printer all about it. Let him sug- 
gest too, but first give him your own idea of the work and the 
purpose for which it is to be used. If you delegate the buying 
of printing to some one else, do not permit him to get into care- 
less habits of ordering. Specifications are best in writing, thus 
providing a record of what was ordered. Printers are sometimes 
to blame for errors, but not all the mistakes for which they are 
blamed are justly chargeable to them. So it is a protection to 
both buyer and seller to have specifications carefully written out. 

It is our constant aim to provide absolutely satisfactory serv- 
ice in every particular, and we have made some warm business 
friends among those of our patrons who cooperate with us. 

Another suggestion that will be helpful is along the line of 
equipment. You will promote your interests to find out something 
about the plants that are handling your printing orders. Printing 
is a highly specialized business nowadays, and there are printers 
who have special facilities for doing certain kinds of work. For 
instance, there are the blank-book makers, society printers and 
stationers, book printers, and those making a specialty of small 
commercial forms, and many others. You can usually get the 
best work and the best prices by selecting a printing house to do 
your work that is equipped to do this kind of work economically 
and well because it handles the kind of work you use every day. 
Some houses are so large that they can handle any job presented, 
but their number is small. It is not difficult to familiarize your- 
self sufficiently with the business of your printer to know whether 
or not he is the right man to handle your orders. 

Follow with a paragraph or two on your own plant and 
its facilities for doing certain kinds of work. 



BOOKS ABOUT PRINTING 



THE ART AND PRACTICE OF TYPOGRAPHY. By Edmund G. Gress. 
Fifty large inserts in color; 700 reproductions, mostly in color, of high-class 
commercial printing by some of America's best typographers; almost 100,000 
words of practical instruction; 125 type arrangements. 9]4 x 12J4, 250 pages, 
cloth, $5.00; postage and packing 45 cents extra. 

THE AMERICAN MANUAL OF PRESSWORK. The most elaborate and ex- 
haustive volume ever published on the subject. It is a book of the practical 
kind that is indispensable for pressmen and others having to do with press- 
work. 164 solid text pages and many artistic inserts in two or more colors, 
besides more than a hundred illustrations in one color. 8^xl2j^, cloth, 
$4.00; postage and packing 35 cents extra. 

HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN THE PRINTING BUSINESS. By Paul Nathan. 
Give value and "charge the price" might be an answer to this question; but 
there is a very complete and comprehensive answer in the book bearing 
this title. The book gives full details and information on the highest au- 
thority— Experience. It tells how a man made money out of printing— a 
thing all are anxious to do. 5% x 9, 288 pages, cloth (gilt stamped), $3.00; 
postage and packing 20 cents extra. 

HOW TO FIND COSTS IN PRINTING. By A. E. Davis. A simple yetthoro 
method of arriving at cost of production in printing establishments. Fully 
illustrated, with reproductions of the necessary forms in full size. An in- 
valuable aid to the superintendent, manager and employer. 5x7^, 128 pages, 
17 diagrams in full size, cloth, $1.50; postage and packing 15 cents extra, 

CORRECT COMPOSITION. By Theodore L. De Vinne, A.M. A treatise on 
spelling, abbreviations, the compounding and division of words, the proper 
use of figures and numerals, italic and capital letters, notes, etc., with ob- 
servations on punctuation and proofreading. A volume for the compositor, 
proofreader, writer, editor, advertising man, and all desiring a knowledge 
of correct English composition. 5 x 7}4, 476 pages, cloth, $2.00; postage and 
packing 20 cents extra. 

PLAIN PRINTING TYPES. By Theodore L. De Vinne, A.M. A treatise on 
the processes of typemaking, the point system, the names, sizes, styles and 
prices of types. A volume for all who would learn of the history and char- 
acteristics of type-faces. 5 x 7j^, 403 pages, cloth, $2.00; postage and packing 
20 cents extra. 

MODERN BOOK COMPOSITION. By Theodore L. De Vinne, A.M. A treat- 
ise on typesetting by hand and by machine and on the proper arrangement 
and imposition of pages. There are illustrated and described the details of 
composing-room work. 5x7^, 477 pages, cloth, $2.00; postage and packing 
20 cents extra. 

TITLE-PAGES. By Theodore L. De Vinne, A.M. A treatise on the styles 
and arrangements of book title-pages. A necessary volume for the student 
of display typography. 5x 7^, 485 pages, cloth, $2.00; postage and packing 
20 cents extra. 



NOTABLE PRINTERS OF ITALY DURING THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 
By Theodore L. De Vinne, A.M. Illustrated with facsimiles from early edi- 
tions, and with remarks on early and recent printing. 9^x12^, 210 pages, 
cloth and paper, $15.00; postage and packing 35 cents extra. 

THE AMERICAN HANDBOOK OF PRINTING. A general review of all the 
branches of printing, written in an interesting and concise manner with- 
out the use of ultra-technical expressions. The book is an encyclopedia of 
facts valuable to those having to do with printing. Over 300 pages, 25 in 
color, 182 illustrations, 5}4x7^, $2.00; postage and packing 15 cents extra. 

PRACTICAL PRINTING. By George Sherman. A book about printing that 
deals with the working of the plant. Practically advises the printer starting 
in business how to make a profit. 5x7^, 144 pages, cloth, $1.50; postage and 
packing 15 cents extra. 

HOW TO ESTIMATE ON PRINTING. By Harry M. Basford. This book has 
been written especially for the printer desiring to learn to do estimating 
and is of value to all who wish to improve their knowledge of modern 
methods. 5 x l\i, 106 pages, cloth, $1.50; postage and packing 15 cents extra. 

HOW TO ADVERTISE PRINTING. By Harry M. Basford. Written for the 
purpose of guiding the printer in advertising his business. Including ex- 
amples of good copy for advertising purposes. 5 x 7^, 112 pages, cloth, $1.50; 
postage and packing 15 cents extra. 

TYPE DESIGNS IN COLOR. A portfolio of more than one hundred full- 
size type designs, set from actual customers' copy and printed in various 
two-color harmonies, on fine-quality colored stock. Bound in artistic paper 
cover. 9j^x 12^, $1.00; postage and packing 15 cents extra. 

POCKET GUIDE TO PRINTING. By George Vickers. Compiled for the 
printer, the advertising man and all having to do with the printing trade. 
3% x 6^3, 48 pages, postpaid 50 cents. 

Booklets 
the offset process— from a practical viewpoint. by lee l. 

Crittenden. 5% x 7, 24 pages, paper, postpaid 50 cents. 

MAKING READY ON PLATEN PRESSES. By Geo. F. Bradford. 5H x7, 40 
pages, paper, postpaid 50 cents. 

A SYSTEM FOR A MEDIUM-SIZED PRINTSHOP. By Charles V. Simmons. 
554 x 7, 24 pages, paper, postpaid 50 cents. 

EMBOSSING: HOW IT IS DONE. By Robert H. Dippy. 5*4 x 7, 16 pages, 
paper, postpaid 25 cents. 

TABULAR COMPOSITION. By Robert Seaver. 5^ x 7. 20 pages, paper, post- 
paid 25 cents. 

GETTING SUBSCRIBERS FOR THE COUNTRY NEWSPAPER. By J. B. 
Powell. 5}4x7, 28 pages, paper, postpaid 50 cents. 

PAY-ROLL TABLES. Save the bookkeeper's time. For eight or nine hours. 
Postpaid 50 cents each per set. 



Oswald Publishing Company 

25 City Hall Place, New York 



/^Wf^fe^^a 



■JWUQU$VQK£&MLJ>2£M2 






T HE 

AMERICAN 
PRINTER 




APRIL -1913 



OSWALD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

a 5 CITY HALL PLACE • NEW YORK 




30 CENTS A COPY 



A MONTHLY magazine for employing printers, superintend- 
ents, foremen and ambitious journeymen. It presents and 
discusses all that is progressive and important in the printing 
industry. Specimens of printing are reviewed monthly, and the 
best reproduced. Jobs are reset and shown in colors, and typo- 
graphic competitions are conducted frequently. Handsome in- 
serts in color appear in every number. Size 9 x 12, subscription 
$3.00 a year in U. S., 30 cents a copy. 150 and more pages monthly. 



